Revamped: A Beautiful Nightmare
by Extinction Of The Gummy Bears
Summary: A porthole has been opened. My idea of how my friends and I would handle the fellowship if they were here. People will be brutally smacked, probably insulted, cars will be stolen and underage drivers will be running the streets. Full summary inside. T for safety.
1. Broken TV

**Hey there friends! I know this is a rather long introduction, but we gotta get some things out of the way first. There shouldn't be any after this unless I have some news. So yes, this is a revamp of my old story A Beautiful Nightmare. If you're new, no you don't have to read the old one, I'm almost starting from scratch with the same basic plot line as the original. Anyway, I don't want to talk too much here so here's what I want to say:**

**Revamp: yes. Why? Because I do what I want. Self-insert? Indeed. But I hope everyone finds it fun and funny to watch Tabby's antics with the fellowship. A smart-ass, with a hatred for blood, wants adventure, gets punched in the face by the reality of war, and perhaps Sam's number one fan. **

**Disclaimer: Tolkien's characters are not mine. They never will be, there it's been said. And any references to any TV shows, movies, plays, et cetera are not mine. I don't want a disclaimer on every chapter. So from here on out I own nothing but the computer to give you this madness. **

**Enjoy guys, please drop a review.**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter One: Broken TV_

**-Tabby-**

"Congratulations Tab," Kristina said, as we lazily lounged on the couch in my living room. "You gave them Uno cards to shut them up and now they're fighting."

"You're right, I should've known better," I muttered, watching my other two friends, Jeni and Katie, sitting on the floor. They were arguing over who was still in play, and who was still waiting.

"Well, you didn't," she said, stretching.

I scowled and nudged her face with my foot, causing her to glare at me. I sighed and reached above me to the end table beside the couch. I felt around for the book I had sat there when my friends paid me a surprise visit. I looked at the cover of the book. _The Fellowship of the Ring_, old school art covers, rather than a movie cover. I opened the cover to the book and glanced at the scribbled black note left for me by my great-grandmother. The writing has always been very hard for me to read. Every time I read it, I think the words I deciphered out before are different. I've all but given up on the note.

Katie and Jeni's arguing made me realize that I would've preferred to have this book open right now. I sighed and flipped through the book, breathing in the smell of the yellowed pages. Some pages were torn, bent out of shape and dog-eared. My great-grandma had gotten a lot of use out of this bad boy. As I flipped through the book I thought I saw something stuck in between two of the pages. I didn't see what it was, as I had flipped through too fast, and at that moment Katie and Jeni started with the profanities.

"Wait your damn turn!" Katie yelled at Jeni.

"You're taking way to freaking long!" Jeni yelled, trying to turn it into a screaming match.

A quick solution came to mind. I sat the book on the table again and said: "Here comes me," and I purposely fell off the couch, right into their game.

"Tabby!" Jeni snapped, as Katie gave me her famous 'death' look, that I swear she created especially for me.

"This wouldn't have happened if you both played Uno like normal people," I replied. "One Uno game does not last an hour and a half."

"It does the way we play," Jeni countered.

"Which is not normal, and causes controversy," I replied, beginning to pick up the scattered cards.

"Who asked you anyway?" she inquired, beginning to help as well.

"The last two sane people in this room," I replied.

"Who? Two out of the four walls?" Katie said, slapping me on the back, which caused me to yelp.

"Kristina and myself," I replied.

"Well, in that case, give me my cards back," Jeni said.

"They aren't your cards, they're mine," I replied.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna watch some TV," Kristina said, flipping the TV on.

A familiar voice came over the speakers of the television. "We must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days," Gandalf's voice, "if our luck holds the Gap of Rohan will still be opened to us, and then our road turns east, to Mordor."

"NO!" Katie yelled, elbowing Jeni in the ribs as she tries to go for the cards in my hand.

"What's up your butt now?" Jeni asked slapping Katie's head and glaring.

"The Lord of the Rings is on!" Katie said. "Turn it off, butt munch."

"Nah, I've been meaning to watch the entire thing," Kristina said, from the couch.

"Tabby!" Katie whined. "Make her turn it off!"

"My house, my rules, Kristina gets to watch," I replied.

"What's the Lord of the Rings?" Jeni asked. "I've never even heard of it."

I looked over at her, completely shocked. "That is unacceptable! You cannot be in my house and not know what that masterpiece is," I said, with an air of authority. I noticed Katie was trying to make a move for the remote that Kristina had laid on her stomach. I quickly got up and snatched the remote first, causing Kristina to yelp and hold her belly.

Katie turned on me and made an attempt to tackle me, grabbing for the remote. "Back up Jack!" I yelled at her, and promptly chucked my handful of Uno cards at her face. As she ducked the cards hit the wall, scattering all over the place, and I hid the remote in my shirt. I held my book in front of the bulge and acted like nothing was wrong with my shirt.

Katie turned around and glared at me. I took the remote out of my shirt (it was going to fall out anyways) and ran to the Laz-E boy chair. I plopped down and kicked my feet up as a guard, ready to kick her if she came too close. She made a move to grab my ankle and I tried to kick her simultaneously, but we both missed. "Go away!" I yelled.

"Give me the remote!" she said, sitting on top of me.

"Get off! Ya' nasty!" I replied, thunking her on the head with my book. Katie yelped and rubbed her head. Kristina and Jeni watched us from across the small room with amused expressions on their faces. Glad we were more entertaining than the actual movie.

"Give me the damn remote!" Katie yelled again.

"NO!" I said, kicking her off and cradling the precious remote.

I turned my attention to the TV. "Look! It's Sam!" I squealed, pointing to the oh-so-loveable-and-huggable hobbit.

"Look! It's an obsessed loser!" Katie said, pointing at me.

"Hush! Gandalf is speaking!" I said, putting a finger to my lips.

I heard about ten seconds of speaking before Katie snatched the remote again. She held on to it with a death lock, just as I was. "No!" I yelled, shooting up from the chair.

"Change it!" Katie yelled. I screamed as she won the remote.

"Precious!" I yelled, tackling her to the carpet. Kristina and Jeni were nearly in tears with laughter. "Help us, Kristina!" I whined, trying to sound like Gollum and failing. I'm not good with impressions or appealing to the character lover in Kris.

Kristina only laughed harder, snorting. Deciding that I was alone in this fight, I took a better hold and pulled to get the remote of Katie's hands. As we both fought for control of the remote we hit many buttons, causing the TV to flip between stations. But within a two minute roll-around there was a loud pop and the TV started to go crazy with static.

We all stopped what we were doing at the loudness of the static tone. We had to cover our ears, it was so loud. Then the TV started skipping from the movie to a black screen and back again. The movie still played on, but the only sound we could hear was the chirping of birds. The chirping was coming from the TV, and was as clear as day. "Oooohhh, yooouuuuu guys made it maaaaaaad!" Jeni whispered to us.

"You angered Gandalf," Kristina said, giggling.

"Dude, why won't it stop?" Katie asked, using her serious tone. "Cause that's really not supposed to happen."

"Okay, you need to stop!" I said to the television. "My dad is going to be _sooo_ pissed." I got up and proceeded to slap the sides of the TV.

"Yes Tabby, bitch slapping the TV is going to make it work," Kristina said, sarcastically.

"It worked the last time," I said, innocently.

"It's all in your head," she replied.

"Beat it with a book," Jeni said, tossing me the old, beaten up book I had left on the couch.

I caught it and showed them the cover, smirking. "Shut up!" Katie said and glared as the other two snickered.

"The Power of Sauron commands you to work!" I said loudly, holding the book to the TV.

"Tab, you're not a priest," Jeni said.

"I hate to break it to you, but I don't think 'the Power of Sauron' is going to help," Kristina said.

"Okay then, buzz kill… the Power of Gandalf commands you to work!" I said, again holding the book to the TV. Then the appliance decided to go black and make a loud screeching sound. I looked back at my friends wide-eyed. I broke it.

"Well, at least it chose one," Katie said, from her place on the couch.

Kristina made a pouty face. "But I didn't want that one!" she groaned.

"Ugh! Go to Mordor, you stupid piece of shit!" With that, I threw the book at the appliance, smacking it square in the center of the screen.

There was a sudden bang-like a gunshot, only much, much louder-as the book made contact with the TV. I yelped and ran to the couch, jumping onto my friends. We looked very much like three Shaggys and a Scooby, except we're girls, and I'm not a dog. When nothing happened, they all turned to glare at me. Especially Katie, since I was sitting on her.

"What? The TV yelled at me! Apparently it doesn't like Sauron or Gandalf," I muttered.

I looked back at the crazy TV that decided to have a heart attack and go black. But I did not see the TV that angered me, I saw a dark haired man (if men have extremely pointed ears) laying on his stomach and looking up at us with wide brown eyes. It was then that my friends caught sight of him, too. Katie stopped in the middle of a threat and Jeni and Kristina stopped mid-attempt to push me off.

The TV lit up to a brilliantly charged light blue, there was a yell and a curse and another man fell onto the dark haired one. This happened another seven times, before everything finally went quiet. My friends and I looked at each other and let out one high-pitched scream, making all the men jump and cover their ears.

**Aight, so here is the very first chapter of the re-vamp. I hope you guys enjoyed, I definitely feel better about this chapter, and it seems a bit more grown up. A bit. Maybe in the writing style…Anyways, like I said, I've added elements in but not too much. So I do hope everyone enjoyed. Drop a review and tell me what you think. **

**Thanks guys, Extinction.**


	2. Phasers Set to Stun

**Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! I love you guys! So anyways, my goal right now is an update once per week, most likely on a Saturday or Sunday, depending on my work schedule. Also, Legolas has black hair, because I read something somewhere that Mirkwood elves have darker hair, rather than blonde. So I decided to add that in, make it more bookish anyway. Thanks again guys.  
**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Two: Phasers Set to Stun_

**-Tabby- **

The men all got up slowly and cautiously looked around at the four of us. My friends and I sat very still and stared at them. I noticed they all had very sharp and dangerous weapons within easy reach, and a few of them looked like they were more than ready to use them. Sir pointy ears looked especially ready. The thirteen of us stared each other down for a few moments, waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Uh…hi?" I said, in amazement. Now everyone's gaze had shifted to _me_. "Not meaning to be rude, but who are you?"

"We seem to be on your doorstep, I think you should answer first," pointy ears said.

"Right, point taken," I said, noticing the oldest of the group bending down to pick up the book I had thrown at the TV and whatever had fallen out of it. He tucked them away into his robes. "Well, then." I looked over at my friends.

Kristina and Jeni were shaking their heads and mouthing 'no'.

"Uh, no, I'm not giving my name to these…freaks," Katie said. "How do we know we can trust them?"

I looked at my other two friends, who were staring between Katie and me, waiting for some sort of argument. I looked back to the nine men who glared at Katie for the insult. Except for the old man, he was looking at me, waiting for me to say something. There was almost a hint of recognition in his eyes. It was something that made me feel like I could trust these people.

"Fine, I won't disclose your names. But I'm Tabitha Johannsen. Well Tabby for short," I said. "May I ask your names?"

Eight out of the nine looked back towards the old man he nodded and leaned on his staff. He stood off in the back and watched everyone in the room silently. The dark haired man stepped forward past McPointy ears.

"My name is Aragorn, son of Arathorn," he began, gesturing to himself. He being a tall, lean man with black hair reaching past his shoulders, short bits of black stubble dotted his cheeks and chin.

"There is no way you're Aragorn!" Kristina said.

The look he gave her convinced me that this _was, _in fact, the heir of Isildur. "I beg your pardon?" he said, bemused. Apparently no one has ever denied his name before.

I looked over at Kristina. "Did you expect him to look like Viggo Mortensen?" I whispered to her quietly. He's really got a bit of credibility, concerning what _just _happened.

"Well, yeah… I mean how can he not?" she asked.

"Do you think that's how Tolkien envisioned him?" I asked her.

"But that Viggo guy… and they fell from the TV!"

"Oh my- where have you been the last five minutes?" I snapped. "You know what? Just do us all a favor and shut up!"

"I would just like to see some identification," Kristina said, glaring at me. "Prove it!"

Again, 'Aragorn' looked at the elderly man standing behind him, who still leaned heavily on a spiked wooden staff. He said something in Elvish and then nodded to 'Aragorn.' Elvish is such a pretty language, especially when it's being spoken right in front of you.

"_All that is gold does not glitter,_

_Not all those who wander are lost,_

_The old that is strong does not wither,_

_Deep roots are not reached by frost,_

_From the ashes a fire shall be woken,_

_A light from the shadows shall spring,_

_Renewed shall be the blade that was broken,_

_The crownless again shall be king."_

My friends looked over at me timidly, to see my reaction. I ignored their looks, hoping now they believed what was happening. I nodded, pushing back the sudden urge to run away screaming "The Fellowship of the Ring is in my house!"

Aragorn continued, naming off the rest of his companions. Boromir was a very tall man, and I assumed he reached almost seven feet in height. He had dark red hair that matched his bearded face, and he was of a very muscular build. Frodo looked very frightened, but his hair was almost a golden brown, very similar to mine. His eyes were big and brown. Sam was introduced next. Sam and a very round set face, with very humble features, with an almost blonde head of hair. Pippin and Merry were next. The two had the same golden brown hair as Frodo; Merry however had more pointed features whereas Pippin had more of a baby-face. Probably beings that he still rather young according to hobbit standards. All four were so much shorter than I could've ever imagined, they all only reached just under Aragorn's beltline, as well as all having a bit of a belly. Gimli was next. He was about a good foot and a half taller than the hobbits, with a long brown beard to match his hair. His hair was braided back in a ponytail; he had squashed features almost, with squinty eyes. He was thicker set, but also had a muscular build. Legolas had dark black hair that looked almost to be longer than mine. He was incredibly lean and tall. He was about as tall as Boromir, but was much lankier. However there was no doubt in my mind he was strong. Gandalf was last to be introduced. He had strong set features in a long face and a long grey beard of course. Bushy eyebrows, tall and thin, grey hair long enough to give Legolas a run for his money. He had kind eyes, but you know he's seen some things and done some stuff.

After the introductions were done I could feel my heart beating in my ears, and my palms were sweaty. My friends were as pale as a ghost, and I thought Jeni was about to pass out.

"You alright there Jeni?" I asked the curly haired girl, who nodded slowly. "You-you sure? What about you Kristina?" I turned to the thicker blonde one. She had her head cocked to the side, trying to process. "Katie? You doing good?" I turned to the skinny blonde one. I got no response from her. She was sitting there expressionless and her arms crossed over her chest.

Suddenly Gandalf started to chuckle. "My dear," Gandalf said, absolutely amused, "would it be at all possible that I may have a private word with you?"

I glanced at my friends, and smirked. "Yeah, I think my friends are broken, they wouldn't mind staying here with your companions," I replied.

"Wonderful," he said. "Now let us go step out into the fresh air. I could use a breath of it, and you too. You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"I do?" I asked. Gandalf nodded and beckoned for me to lead the way outside.

The front door was in the kitchen, which was right next to the living room. I led the way to the door and held it open for Gandalf. As he walked past me I looked through the door way back at my friends. They had turned their heads, but still held the same expressions on their faces. I smirked, waved, and closed the door behind me.

I turned back to Gandalf smirking all the while. Gandalf had taken a seat on the wooden bench next to the house. He had made himself quite comfortable, he had crossed his legs and had taken his pipe out and was chewing on the stem. He was looking around the yard and beyond. Without breaking his gaze, he patted the bench next to him. I left the door and walked over to sit, careful not to sit on his robes that took up most of the wooden seat.

"Soooo, hi?" I said, not sure what exactly I should say. I mean this is Gandalf. _Gandalf_. The wizard… Gandalf…

"This is a very strange place," he murmured, turning to me. "But more of that later." He looked at me for a couple of moments, which made me very nervous. I stared at my feet, and started to shuffle my feet back and forth, when he patted my shoulder. I looked up at him. He took his pipe out of his mouth. "This conversation is not something for you to take lightly, young lady." I nodded, and tucked my hair behind my ear. With that being said, my stomach started doing flips.

He reached into his robes and brought out the book and a shiny, thin piece of paper. He handed me the book and then showed me that paper. It was an old Polaroid picture with sepia tones. "Do you know what this is?" he asked.

"A Polaroid?" I guessed.

Gandalf sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, but do you know what is in the picture?"

I took the picture out of his hand and looked at it. "It's a picture of my grandfather and my great aunt, when they were really young," I replied.

"Yes, but what do you see in the upper left hand corner?" he asked, pointing with his pinky.

I brought the picture closer to my face. In said corner was a dark, tall figure that almost looked like it had been purposefully blackened out. I couldn't make much of it, other than sharp points that almost looked like armor. "What _is_ that?" I asked, staring hard at it.

"The Necromancer," Gandalf replied.

"Sauron?" I asked in disbelief, looking up at him.

Gandalf nodded. "He was after your great-grandmother," he replied. "She's made some enemies."

"Uh, what?" I asked.

"Open up that book, to the note written in it," Gandalf said.

I did as he asked me, wondering how the hell he knew about that. I studied the writing for a moment. "I can never figure out what it says. Every time I think I decipher a word, I decide it isn't the right one," I said, screwing my lips to the side.

Gandalf took the book from me and studied it. "Her handwriting has deteriorated over the years," he comments. He studied it for a good five minutes. "Ah, this is what it says: My dear great-granddaughter, in a long story short, I am sorry to say that you've become the one that must right my wrongs when I was your age. I am so very sorry that you're the one who must take my place in the world of Middle-earth. It's not something I wanted for you, for my daughter or granddaughters. But you seem to have chosen your own path, by reading Mr. Tolkien's story. Sir Tolkien's story has become very much of a reality for our family. The Necromancer is after us, my dear. I hope that someday soon Gandalf will come to you and teach you everything you need to know. Good luck, I love you."

Gandalf shut the book and handed it back to me. My eyes had started to well up as he read the note to me. "He's after me?" I asked, looking up at him. "Sauron?"

"It's not so much him as it is Melkor. Sauron is preoccupied," Gandalf replied. "Your history runs deep within the heart of the story."

"So what you're telling me is that my great-grandma was in Middle-earth? Meddling with evil?" I asked.

Gandalf nodded. "Sauron had her in his hands before anyone could help her. He is very manipulative, and a young girl was no match for him. She was not proud of what she had done, but I won't go into that. It's not something you wish to hear."

"When?" I asked. "During Bilbo's journey?"

Gandalf nodded solemnly. "She was not with the company, but I was the one who rescued her and got her back home."

"So then what do I do?" I asked, starting to feel very nauseous.

"You come back with us, when the time is right," Gandalf replied.

"When will that be?" I asked.

He shrugged. "When I feel that you're ready," he said.

"Oh. So I'll be going to Middle-earth then?" I asked.

"Soon, yes," he answered.

"Well, that's great," I said, smiling and throwing up my hands. "I've always wanted to, I mean, this is the chance of a life time. Adventure, daring swords fights, a deadly quest."

"No, child, no," Gandalf said sternly, shaking his head. "This is not a hobbit-walking party. This is a very deadly quest for Frodo and for you."

"What do you mean?" I asked. My voice was shaking now.

"Your final battle is with Melkor and Sauron," he said, "one that may leave one or all of you dead. Now I must ask you for the sake of my piece of mind, are you willing to take this burden upon you?"

"If I don't will it fall upon one of my heirs?" I asked. "Or another member of my family?"

Gandalf nodded solemnly. "However, it will be Melkor that would be the aggressor, not Sauron. Melkor is much more powerful," he said.

I thought about it for a few minutes. This isn't something I want for my baby cousins, or anyone else for that matter. It's better to get this over with sooner rather than later, and better me than someone else.

"I-I think I must… I must take it," I said. "This should be my burden. I know the most about your world and lord only knows when the next person will come along to fight."

Gandalf nodded. "A very brave decision on your part, my dear," he said, patting my shoulder.

A sudden commotion came from within the house. Yelling could be heard, and a sudden ring of a sword being drawn sounded. Gandalf and I looked at each other and shot up. We hurried into the house to see Kristina being held by the back of her shirt by Aragorn and Legolas had a sword pointed at my other two friends.

"What the hell?" I asked.

"She was attempting to eavesdrop," Aragorn said.

I sighed. "Put her down," I said. Aragorn let her go and I walked over to her and whapped her upside the head.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"For being blonde," I replied. "Sit down, we got stuff to do."

"Like what?" Jeni asked.

"Well, they'll be staying for a few days," I replied, "so we need to decide where to put them."

The girls looked at each other, and then nodded. I motioned for everyone to sit down. I sat next to my friends on the couch, as Gandalf and Aragorn took the two Laz-E boy chairs. For the most part the rest of the Fellowship took the floor or stood next to a window or appliance.

"Are your parents home, my dear?" Gandalf asked.

"No, they won't be for a while," I replied, glancing at the clock that read three o'clock. "Another two hours before they arrive."

"Would they mind if we stayed?" he asked.

"Noooo, I don't think they would appreciate nine men staying here," I replied. "Especially when their sixteen year old daughter brought them here.

"What do you propose we do then?" Legolas asked. I think my friends put him in a very bad mood. Great, that's just what I need, a pissed off elf.

I turned to my three friends. "Are you three staying the night?" I asked.

"This is _not _the time to be making plans with your friends," Legolas snapped.

"No, no I have an idea," I replied, holding up a hand to tell him to be quiet.

"I might not," Katie said, raising her hand.

"Nobody cares about you," I replied. "Okay, so, my dad will allow us to stay out in the camper. We can put them out there and we can stay in my room. That way, it wouldn't be strange if the camper's lights are on."

My friends nodded, knowing it would be easy to deceive my parents. For the night at the very least.

"What's a camper?" Pippin asked, curiously.

"It's a… well, it's like a…" Jeni tried. It's hard explaining something when most people know what it is.

"It's like a home; except you can take it places. Kind of like a snail," Katie said, with an effort. Either way he got the reference.

"But will they all fit in there?" Kristina asked.

I stopped to think and mentally count all the places there are to sleep in the camper. "We may have to set a cot up in there, but they will if they don't mind doubling up," I replied.

"We wouldn't mind," Gandalf said, speaking for the Fellowship. At least four of the members did _not _look very happy about it.

"Well, let's head out to the camper and get it ready for all of you," I said.

I led the way as all thirteen of us left the house to go out to the camper. "Are you sure you'll be able to hide all of us from your parents for however long you need to?" Merry asked.

I snickered. "No," I laughed.

**I hope you guys enjoyed this mash up of the original chapters 2 and 3. Anyways, drop me a review!**


	3. Decisions, Decisions

**A side note on character hair color/ character descriptions: I found some pictures on the internet of drawing people have done of the characters that aren't based on the movie actors, so I picked the ones I liked and based the characters off of those drawings. And a good deal of those are pretty good drawings of what I, personally, pictured them as. But…that's just me… anyways I hope that won't bother you guys too much. (And personally, I prefer Legolas with darker hair anyway.)**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Three: Decisions, Decisions_

**-Tabby-**

With everyone in the camper, and the camper plugged into the garage for electricity, everyone found a place to sit down. Kristina and Katie set to work on opening all the windows to let some fresh air into the stuffy camper. An eerie silence had fallen over us once we set foot outside. The Fellowship had managed to stuff themselves onto the bed/couch closest to the door. Gandalf had been the first to sit down, in the center of the bed. The four hobbits had gathered together next to him on his right hand side. Gimli and Aragorn were sitting on his left, and Legolas and Boromir were by the door. Those two seemed to be the most on edge. My friends and I were on the biggest bed at the very back of the camper.

"So, how exactly did you plan on all of them staying in here?" Jeni asked, looking around the small camper. There were only three actual beds in the camper, and they weren't very big to begin with, so I could see where Jeni's doubt came from.

"You should learn to not doubt me Jenifer," I said. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, and I continued, "Well, that," I pointed to the cushioned bench were most of the Fellowship sat. "Will pull out so two people could sleep there."

"That's two," Kristina counted on her fingers.

Elbowing her in the gut, I continued on. "That," I pointed to the bed above my friends and I. "That'll also pull out so two people can sleep there, or you four hobbits, since you're all pretty small. And here," I gestured to the bed my friends and I sat on. "Will, again hold you four, or two people."

"That's only eight," Kristina said.

"Like I said, we will have to set up a cot," I replied. "Which is in the closet over by the door." I pointed to the double door cabinet on the far side of the camper.

And then that silence fell again. I looked around uncomfortably at the fellowship. They were all avoiding the looks of my friends and me; however Gandalf was studying the faces of my friends as well as mine.

"Sooo, uh, Tabby, what did you and Gandy talk about?" Kristina asked, probably wanting to break the thick silence.

Before Legolas or Aragorn or even Frodo could jump in and defend Gandalf against Kristina's nickname, I slapped her on the back of the head again. "Quit it," I warned.

"Is that something you wish us to know, Gandalf?" Aragorn asked him.

"It is not my decision whether to tell you or not, its Tabitha's," Gandalf replied.

With that everyone's eyes fell on me. "Well, uh, I guess I don't mind," I said. "It's probably something most of you need to know, anyways." I drifted off after that, thinking about how to reiterate.

"Well?" Jeni asked, looking at me.

I looked to Gandalf asking him to help me explain it, but he just looked right back, waiting for me to start. "Do you still have the book and the Polaroid?" I asked him.

Gandalf nodded, and asked Pippin to hand me the items. Pippin was the closest one next to me, and probably the most willing of the hobbits to have anything to do with us girls. I took the object from him and opened the book to the front cover and ran my thumb over the indents the pen had made from years before. "This book was a gift to me from my great-grandmother," I began, showing everybody the cover of the book.

"That's the Shire," Sam said, surprised.

"More specifically, Bag End," I said, pointing to the top of the artist's picture. "She left a note to me on the inside cover. From what Gandalf said, she was basically in Middle-earth during Bilbo's journey, to give you a timeline. She wasn't with the company or anything, but with Sauron." Here I cleared my throat.

"Wait!" Kristina interrupted. "How did she get there?"

Here I looked to Gandalf. "In the era that she was thrust into Arda, there was a World War going on. Wars are very curious things in this world. Weapons were very strange things and at one point something very strange happened. Strong dark powers in Mirkwood and powers in this world created something of a portal. A curious young girl happened to find her way to it, in a dark wood outside her father's property. Lo and behold, Lucile found herself in Mirkwood."

"That answer your question?" I asked Kristina.

"Yes ma'am," she said.

"Don't call me ma'am," I told her.

"Yes, sir," she said.

I glared at her and carried on with what I had been saying. "Basically, in short, she ended up getting involved with Sauron, and I suppose when Gandalf helped her get home it really ticked him off. So now both Sauron and Melkor are after me," I said.

"Why are they after you?" Jeni asked.

"I guess it's because I'm the only blood relative in the family who is interested in Tolkien," I replied.

"Okay with my basic understanding of the world," Kristina began, "Sauron is the main bad-guy goon. Like main, main one. So who the hell is Melkor?"

"Okay in terms that you guys can understand; Sauron is basically Melkor's apprentice, helper, whatever you wish to call it. And Melkor is one of the Gods, kinda," I replied.

"Gods?" Katie asked, with extra emphasis in the 's'.

I sighed. "It's almost like the setup of the Greek Gods and Goddesses. Manwe is basically equal to Zeus, and so on," I replied.

"Oh," she said.

"How did you come by this knowledge?" Legolas asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

I held up the book. "This," I replied. "It tells of the story of the Ring."

"Is it accurate?" Aragorn asked. "Do you how it ends?"

"I don't know, and yes, I do," I replied.

"How does our story end?" Pippin asked.

"We are not to know that," Gandalf snapped. "That book is not meant for our eyes. Not one of you is to look at that book or the others similar to it." He looked around at his companions waiting to get a sign of understanding.

"But how are we to know if it's accurate?" Boromir asked.

"I could read something to you out of the book. Something that's already happened," I offered. "And then you could tell me if it is or not."

To this they all agreed. "Be careful what you choose to read child," Gandalf warned.

I nodded and flipped open the book, thinking of a good passage to read. I decided to try to find one of my favorite parts before the council of Elrond. I decided it should be something, at the very least, before the Fellowship left Rivendell. I don't know exactly where they were when they fell from the TV an hour ago. I found the proper part and cleared my throat.

"'_Well?' said Strider, when he reappeared. 'Why did you do that? Worse than anything your friends could have said! You have put your foot in it! Or should I say your finger?'_

'_I don't know what you mean,' said Frodo, annoyed and alarmed. _

'_Oh yes, you do,' answered Strider; 'but we had better wait until the uproar has died down. Then, if you please, Mr. Baggins, I should like a quiet word with you.'_

'_What about?' asked Frodo, ignoring the sudden use of his proper name._

'_A matter of some importance-to us both,' answered Strider, looking Frodo in the eye. 'You may hear something to your advantage.'_

'_Very well,' said Frodo, trying to appear unconcerned. 'I'll talk to you later.'"*_

Here I stopped and looked up at Frodo and Aragorn. Frodo looked to almost have been blushing, and Aragorn's eyes were wide.

"I think that your reactions say it's pretty accurate," I ventured to say.

Aragorn nodded slowly. "Was this part something very important to the story? Is that why you picked it?" Frodo asked.

I shrugged. "If you're my English teacher, then it says that this is that starting point of the trust put into Aragorn. But I really just like that part. Something a bit silly after a lot of serious points," I said.

A silence fell over the group again for a few moments. "Are you going to tell everyone your decision?" Gandalf asked.

"Wasn't planning on it right this second," I muttered.

"What decision?" Kristina asked.

I looked over at her, trying to decide what to do. "Personally I would rather tell them on a more personal level. And I think the same should be done for them," I told Gandalf.

Gandalf nodded. "I think that would be wise," he said.

"When are you going to tell us?" Jeni asked.

I shrugged. "When we decide what we're going to do about food for the night, I'll tell you guys on the way," I replied. "That way everyone will get their chance to hear and say their piece."

"Very well then," Gandalf nodded.

That silence fell again. I took a deep breath and sighed, sticking the Polaroid back into the book. "What are we going to do now then?" Katie asked.

**O.o.O**

The hours passed long and slow. Questions were asked about the cars that sat in the driveway soon after we ended our depressing talk about my family history. Kristina's truck and Jeni's white car were the main topics until my dad pulled in with his new Ford truck that could eat Kristina's truck for breakfast. I had already informed my father that my friends would be staying the night and it had been cleared. However, we would be feeding ourselves, and with our own money.

"I'm hungry," Kristina said.

"Me too," Pippin voiced. Merry and Pippin were probably the only two, aside from Gandalf, who are actually trying to interact with us. The rest of them seemed to be deep in thought or deep in their suspicions.

"So what are we going to do for food?" Jeni asked.

"Pizza?" I offer. "Pizza is fairly cheap and will feed all of us."

"Ugh, I had pizza last night!" Katie whined.

"Well, we're getting Godfather's, not Casey's," I said.

"Why Godfather's? It's clear out in Pleasant Hill!" Jeni said.

"Yeah, well, it tastes better and it'll give me enough time to explain everything to you," I replied. "I'll drive, so if you guys freak out we won't die. Plus, I'll give whoever's car we take gas money."

"I volunteer my tuck as tribute!" Kristina said, raising her hand.

"I'll give you ten bucks, but I won't buy you a full tank," I replied, knowing she'd try to weasel a full tank from me.

She shrugs. "Whatever, every bit helps," she said.

"Who's going to pay?" Katie asked. "I don't have money."

"I do," I said.

"How?" Kristina asked. "We got paid last week, how do you have money?"

"Because I _was_ saving for a new laptop, car, and iPod," I replied. "I have some sort of self-control."

"How much money do you have?" Jeni asked.

"Probably a good six hundred," I shrugged.

The girls all shook their heads. "How do you girls come by money? Do your parents give you an allowance?" Pippin asked.

"We have jobs. Except Katie," I replied.

"Jobs? Young ladies? Where?" Boromir stuttered out.

Kristina put her arm around me. "We work at Sugar Shack," she said proudly.

"It's a restaurant. Basically, we cook food and take the food out to customers," I said, knowing how Sugar Shack sounds. (I have learned that there's a male strip club of the same name in Wisconsin.)

"We also serve ice-cream. Lots and lots of ice-cream," Kristina added, dreamily.

"You're an addict," Jeni pointed out.

"Can we get ice-cream?" Kristina asked.

"I'm not paying," I replied.

"Ice-cream aside, what are we going to order?" Katie asked.

"Wait, wait, what is pizza?" Merry asked.

"It's bread, tomato sauce, cheese, and whatever kind of toppings you want," I replied.

"Like mushrooms?" Pippin asked.

"Well, there's no other way to eat pizza," I said.

"Gross," Kristina said.

"You're gross!" I countered.

"Well, one large mushroom pizza," Katie said.

"Deep dish. We need deep dish," I said.

Rolling her eyes, Katie asked everyone else what they wanted. Gimli had wanted meat lovers, which I wasn't surprised in the least by. Katie agreed to that one. Once Aragorn and Boromir heard of the supreme they immediately decided they had to have one, much to Kristina's delight, and Gandalf's agreement. And then Legolas decided on a veggie lover to share with Jeni. With everything we needed to know all that was left was to call in the order.

"Who's gonna call?" Kristina asked.

"Not me!" Jeni said.

"Nose goes!" I called, and touched my nose. The girls all raced to touch their noses, with Katie being the last.

"Damn it!" she yelled, and proceeded to pull out her cell phone.

With four large pizzas being made at Godfather's our total was insane. Nearly seventy dollars, and that's not counting drinks and such. When everything was all worked out and the money was in my purse, we climbed into Kristina's truck, me with the keys. Kristina sat in the passenger's seat, with Katie and Jeni in back. I rolled down the driver's side window. A warm wind blew in through the window and as I backed out of the driveway I looked over by the water tower at setting sun.

We had been out in the camper for a good four hours, discussing and explaining anything and everything. We were a good ways on back roads to get to University Avenue, leading to straight to Pleasant Hill, when I was asked a question.

"So, Tab, what was that decision you made?" Kristina asked.

I glanced over at her and sighed. I have dreading this moment since I told them about it. Their potential reactions scared me, what they were going to say to me scared me. I was absolutely fucking terrified.

_***Citation: Passage being read is from the Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 9, At the Sign of the Prancing Pony, just after Frodo sings his song. **_

**When doing parts out of the book I will cite, and say what book and chapter(s) it is from, but it won't be huge drawn out citations. Just so I don't get in trouble by nitpicks. But if I do forget, that's cause to beat me with a stick. In other words just tell me and it'll be fixed. However when we do get the parts where I am following the book it won't be italicized, since it won't be 'read' out of the book. **

**Don't forget to drop me a review, telling me what you think. Kay thanks bye. **


	4. Playing Favorites

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Four: Playing Favorites_

"So as it was said just a few hours ago," Gandalf said. "Young Tabitha's family history runs very deep within the heart of this tale. And the decision that she had to make was a very, very tough one, and her mind may change. Her decision was to come with us back to Middle-earth." Gandalf half expected uproar and half expected a silence. What he got was the former.

"Sh-she's coming back with us?" Frodo asked.

"Gandalf, surely you can't be seriously considering bringing her back with us!" Aragorn exclaimed.

"She's far too young!" Sam spat out.

"It's too dangerous!" Aragorn said, again.

"Silence! All of you stay quiet and keep your wits!" Gandalf snapped. "You must remember her parents do not know about us. Keep your voices down, and speak one at a time. Now, who wishes to speak first?"

"Gandalf, she cannot come along. She is no more than sixteen in the reckoning of Men. She could not possibly be ready to face the dangers of our world," Legolas said. "This is not a walking party, for her to have fun on."

"She is well aware of that, Master Elf. She is in danger herself, and has chosen to fight the battle that her great-grandmother couldn't," Gandalf replied.

"But look at her!" Boromir said. "She's small. She is short, lanky, and I doubt that she could hold a sword for much longer than a few moments."

"Going back to her age," Gimli said. "The lass is young, most likely she has never seen an orc or fought one. She'd be terrified, and run in the face of danger."

"Well, look at us," Pippin spoke up. "Lord Elrond did not want Merry and me coming along for many of the same reasons that all of you are listing off." Merry nodded in agreement.

"Very well put Peregrin," Gandalf said. "Tabitha's decision is based around the awful truth. If she doesn't fight her battles now another member of her family will have too. It's something she doesn't want for someone else. If that doesn't show bravery and heart, I wouldn't know what does, Master Dwarf."

"But Gandalf, what if she becomes like her grandmother?" Frodo asked. "What if she becomes corrupted?"

"What happened with her grandmother is that she stumbled into Sauron's fortress. It was almost by sheer accident. Lucile was not well versed in the history and our story, and therefore did not know to what extent she aided the enemy. Tabitha is very well versed and I firmly believe that she knows what she must do, and will rise to her full potential," Gandalf replied. "Her decision to come with us is one that we all should respect, and we must aid her. Teach her how to handle herself and fight."

**-Tabby-**

Alright, Tab, just tell them and get it out in the open. It'll lift the dark cloud that's hanging over us. Somewhat. I hope. "So basically," I began, "My decision was to go back with the fellowship to Middle-earth." I was met with silence for a couple of moments.

"Why?" Katie asked.

"It's something that I feel like I have to do. I mean what my grandmother did long ago will haunt my family until someone does something. Tries to fight," I replied, coming to a stop at a stop sign.

"Tabby! You could be killed, obliterated, just…gone," Kristina said.

I sighed and pulled out onto the busy highway that was University. "I know…" I said.

"Tabby, you'll be killed and we'll never see you again!" Jeni said.

"You think I actually want to go fight an evil fucking God-like entity?!" I said, raising my voice. "I don't want my baby cousin to fight, I don't want my daughter to fight, my granddaughter. No! I need to do this; I am the only one who knows the basic lay out of everything."

I was becoming angry just at the thought. I'm going to be taken on a guilt trip, I just know it. I was speeding down the road, going nearly seventy-five in a sixty. Another mile or two and Godfather's would be coming up on our left.

After my tangent my friends had fallen into a silence, which lasted a good twenty minutes. I went in alone to get the pizzas, leaving them to their thoughts. The first words to be said after getting the pizza, was Kristina asking me to take the back roads home because she didn't want any tickets on her truck. It would take longer, but I understand, and the guys will suffer with cold pizza and warm soda.

"So, I have a question," Jeni said quietly. I looked out of the window, seeing cornfield after cornfield pass by. When nobody answered her, she posed the question: "So the way you told us of Melkor and what you have to do, aren't you basically supposed to fight Middle-earth's version of the Devil?"

I actually felt all the color leave my face. You know that feeling you get when you know you're in real trouble in a situation or with you parents? That feeling of cold water running down your back? That's what I felt like, my stomach had started doing flips and I had a bad taste in my mouth. "I-I never thought about it like that," I muttered quietly.

I stepped on the break, put the car in park and jumped out of the car. I ran to the ditch and fell to my knees and started throwing up.

**O.o.O**

After I completed throwing up my lunch we finished the drive home with the still warm-ish pizzas. I let the girls take the goods into the camper, and I went inside to rinse my mouth out with mouthwash. I was also going to bring out the paper plates and cups. As I was about to walk out of the house again my mother stopped me.

"Hey, honey, I heard some loud arguing coming from the camper when I went out to feed the dogs. What's going on?" she asked. Fuck. Someone is going to get snapped at when I get back out there.

"Oh, we had left a movie on," I lied.

"Well, don't do it again. It's a waste of electricity," mom said.

"I'll tell my friends not to leave it on," I agreed, going out the door.

"And tell the girls I said hi!" she called.

"Will do, mama llama," I called back.

I walked back out to the camper and stomped inside, closing the door loudly behind me. I threw the plates and cups at the girls. "Who was yelling?" I asked the Fellowship. "My mom heard you, whoever it was!"

"I beg your pardon, my dear," Gandalf said. "But it was all of us. My companions had gotten a little excited when I told them news."

"Well stop it," I said, pointing at the rest of them. "I told my mom it was a movie we left on. So quit your loud talk. And you three," I pointed to the girls. "Mom says hi."

"Hi Tabby's mom!" Kristina yelled.

"She's in the house she can't hear you," I told her.

"So how are we going to eat, without everything getting confused?" Jeni asked.

"How about I eat all the pizza," Kristina offered.

"How about you owe seventy bucks?" I replied. "Let's just sit by our desired pizzas. Go."

After the huge shuffle to get to the pizzas and the distribution of drinks, I was sitting in between the fours hobbits. I was also elected referee, so every hobbit gets an equal amount of pizza. The five of us mushroom fiends sat on the biggest bed against the wall. Kristina sat on the long bed/couch with Aragorn, Boromir and Gandalf with the supreme. Katie and Gimli sat on the bed with us with the meat lovers. And the veggie weirdoes were split up. Jeni sat next to Pippin and Legolas next to Aragorn with the pizza sitting on the counter separating the beds.

I was half way into my first slice of pizza when Pippin noticed the book that had been left out here, sitting at my feet. "So what did you think of us before we happened to be on your stoop?" he asked me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, catching a mushroom that was falling off my slice.

"Did you have a favorite?" he restated.

"I don't play favorites," I replied.

"Liar," Kristina said. "You have favorites."

"This is an awkward question to be asked by a fellowship member," I commented.

"She's a pervy hobbit fancier," Kristina said.

"Right, just like you're a pervy elf fancier," I replied.

"No I'm not!" she argued.

"Hey, at least I don't talk to my Legolas poster," I said, holding up my hands.

"Pervy?" Merry asked.

"She didn't mean anything by that," I quickly said. "What she meant was that you four have always been my favorite."

"Why?" Frodo laughed.

"I do what I want," was my reply.

"Come on, who's your favorite hobbit?" Merry asked elbowing me.

"No one is gonna take my answer personally, right?" I asked. The four of them nodded. "Alright, then, it's Sam."

"Me?" he asked. "Why?"

"You'll see in time," I replied, smiling. I finished my piece of pizza and went for another.

"So what are we going to do now?" Jeni asked. "I wanna watch a movie."

"I don't know, does anyone want to watch a movie?" I asked the Fellowship.

"I would like to see one," Pippin said, and he got a round of collective nods and agreements.

"Well, what kind do you want?" Katie asked. "Horror, comedy, drama, action, adventure?"

"Disney," I said, raising my hand.

"You get nothing," she replied.

In the end everyone agreed on an adventure flick. And I decided that Potter was the way to go for everyone, because we couldn't really show them their own story, and I was the only one who appreciated Indiana Jones, as Kristina was the only one into Star Wars. So Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone was the way to go.

**I hope you guys enjoyed that. I know it hasn't been nearly as funny as the first one, as I'm trying to make this one more serious. I have some big plans for this one, and I hope it gradually gets a tad funnier. Also my work schedule has punched me in the face since we now only have three and a half people working (one is a cook rather than an aid) so I will be working a lot. Anyways I own nothing, and please drop me a review!**


	5. Big Plans

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Your reviews really make work harder on this story! So I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Five: Big Plans_

**-Tabby-**

"That was a brilliant story," Pippin commented, staring at the small TV in amazement.

"There's another seven movies too," Kristina commented.

"May we watch them?!" Merry asked excitedly.

"Not tonight," I said. "They progressively get longer and longer, maybe tomorrow night.

"What did everyone else think?" Kristina asked everyone. I was slightly afraid of their reactions.

The overall review from the fellowship was that the movie was good and they wouldn't be opposed to watching the rest of the movies. Legolas even said that he would be eager to find out what happens to 'our Mr. Potter', which I thought was a pretty big accomplishment. On a side note I noticed our four hobbits yawning and looking all around tired. It was half past one, so I suppose it would be ideal to get ready for bed.

"Well, how about sleepy happy bedtime?" Kristina asked, also noticing the exhausted looks of the hobbits.

Around of collective yeses were voiced and I set to work in setting up the cot from the closet for whoever was unlucky enough to be elected to sleep on it. "So," I began as I still worked at the cot, "We will be sleeping in my room in the house. I wouldn't go inside if I were you, so wait until we come back out here and get you."

"We shall stay out here," Gandalf assured me.

"Do you need any blankets or pillows?" I asked them all.

"No I don't believe we do," Gandalf said, just as I finished making up the cot.

"Well then," I said standing up, and brushing the dirt and grass off, that was on the camper floor. "Ladies, let's go inside, and I will show you guys how to work the lights."

The girls exited the camper and I showed Gandalf how to turn all the lights off using the two light switches that were by the door.

Once we were in the house we made arrangements for sleeping. Kristina and I would be sharing the bed, me at the head and her at the foot. Katie and Jeni would be sharing the floor.

I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling while my friends attempted to fall asleep. I imagine none of us would be getting much sleep, me more so than the other three. "What are we going to do tomorrow?" Kristina asked aloud.

"I don't know," I replied. "It's not something I really thought much about today. I mean, you and I have to go to work. And I don't really want to leave all nine of them alone here for four hours tomorrow night."

"I feel ya," Kristina replied. "But that's not until four. What are we going to do with them until then?"

"Well, I have to go to the apple store," Jeni voiced. "Job interview."

"Why the hell would you get a job at a mall on the north side of Des Moines? That's a good hour's drive to and from," Katie said.

"Pays good," she replied.

"What are you going to do?" I asked. "Be a greeter? You can't even figure out how to plug in your flash drive and access the files on it."

"Thanks Tab, I mean really," she replied.

"Just throwing it out there," I said.

"Well, maybe we should take them to the mall," Kristina suggested.

"All nine of them?" Katie said, sitting up. "How are we going to get them all there?"

"By car, idiot," Kristina said.

"But what are we going to do with them while we're there?" I asked. "We aren't exactly rich."

"You're right. You're dirt poor," Katie said, whose parents have always been rather well off.

"Hey, I'm not dirt poor. I can't afford dirt," I replied.

"Well," Kristina said, "we could always get them a second set of clothes."

"I think they already have that," Jeni said.

"I mean more normal clothes," she added. "In case we _have_ to take them somewhere in public, you know."

"But how are we going to get them to the mall in 'normal' clothes?" I asked.

"Well, personally, I think the hobbits are fine as long as they take off their waist coats and such," Kristina said. "The rest of them are either your dad's or your brother's size. In shirts at least, their own pants should be fine."

I shrugged. "That could work I suppose, but the hobbits need shoes to get inside the mall," I said.

"Flip-flops, helloooo," Kristina said. "And before you say anything, I always keep extra pairs in my truck."

"Why?" Katie asked.

"Because I do what I want," was her reply.

"Anyways, we should get some sleep, we don't know how long we'll be there, and we have work anyways," I said.

**O.o.O**

Sleep did not come easy to me. I laid awake thinking about what exactly I was supposed to do in my near future. The little sleep I did get was not…comfortable. I had some weird and messed up dreams. I'm not even sure if they were my dreams. I saw unfamiliar faces, pointed, evil faces that grinned out at me in the darkness. Orcs that grinned manically, like I was their next meal. The one face that stared at me and lasted the longest before my eyes was a very sharp one. He had black eyes that matched his raven colored hair. He was very pale, but had an almost handsome look to it.

His skin was smooth and absolutely flawless, perfect teeth. He grinned at me all the while, a mocking grin. All I could see was his face, his face circled around me continuously. And just before I woke up that face started laughing a deep mocking laugh.

I woke up to the sound of my friends snoring and the sound of the front door slamming shut. I rubbed at my eyes and looked at the far end of my room at the alarm clock. Half past six in the morning. My parents had gone to work, leaving myself and my friends here alone. With all the excitement from yesterday, I had quite forgotten that my brother has been staying up at his friend's house for the past week.

The only convenient day and we're wasting it in going to Jordan Creek. Whatever. I sat up and slowly crawled over my friends in order to get out of my room. I spent a good portion of my morning sulking in the living room, having no idea what was even going on in my life anymore. I was planning on going to school, graduating, college, becoming a teacher. But now it looks as if I'll spend the remainder of my short life in Middle-earth…

When I decided it was time enough spent on my own pity party, I took a shower, gathered up some clothes for the fellowship to wear for a short period of time. Surprisingly my dad and brother have a lot more t-shirts that they never wear than I do. So they shouldn't be missed much. Much.

And after I was as satisfied with what I had, I took Kristina's keys that were by the door and 'borrowed' her truck to drive up to Casey's for a couple boxes of donuts. By the time I got home, Kristina had already woken the other two up, in a panic because I was gone. Two out of the three looked relieved to see that I hadn't been eaten by an orc or whatever it was that the fellowship fought. Kristina quickly forgave me for taking her truck, when I offered the sweets I had retrieved.

Deciding that nine o'clock was late enough for the Fellowship to sleep in, I went and knocked on the door to the camper a few times, to wake everyone up. Gandalf answered the door almost immediately looking…cheerful. "Uhh, good morning," I began. "We've got breakfast inside, so if everyone wants to come inside to eat, we'll share our plan for the day."

"Did she say breakfast?" I heard Pippin ask from inside.

"I see everyone has been awake for some time," I commented.

Gandalf smiled. "Indeed we have, didn't know when you were going to come back out to us."

Within a short time we had gathered everyone inside for donuts and Kristina's chocolate milk obsession.

"What is our plan for the day, ladies?" Aragorn asked, reaching for another chocolate donut.

"Well, Jeni has a job interview, so we're going out to Jordan Creek to get you lot 'normal' clothes in case we need to take you anywhere," I said, putting air quotes around the word normal.

"We're going to a creek?" Boromir asked.

"No, no, no, a Jordan Creek is a shopping mall. Where you get clothes, shoes, perfumes, all sorts of things," Kristina said.

"But if we're going somewhere, how are we going to look 'normal'?" Frodo asked, also putting air quotes around the word that I don't think I know the definition to anymore.

I pointed to the blue hamper I had stuck in the corner and the flip flops by it. "Borrowing some of my dad's and brother's things," I said. "They won't be missed."

"So exactly where are we going?" Legolas asked, looking curiously at the pink frosted donut in his hand.

"The north side of Des Moines, about thirty miles that way," Kristina said, pointing to the far side of my house.

"Thirty miles?" Sam asked.

"That's a near two day trip, just to get there," Aragorn said.

"You forget about the cars," I said, going for my third donut. "It's about a forty-five minute drive, one way, depending on traffic."

I took a bite out of the one I picked up and immediately made a face. A donut sprinkled with coconut flavored shredded whatever. Who does that? "Ugh, yuck," came a voice to my left. Pippin had also found one that he didn't like. In his hand he held a donut absolutely caked with frosting. "This is way too sugary."

"Pippin? Turning down sugar?" Merry asked shocked.

"Trade ya," I said, trying to hand off my coconut.

"Done," Pippin said, taking the coconut off my hands, and I took the donut covered with nothing but chocolate icing and sprinkles.

Everyone just kind of looked at us. "It's a fair trade," Pippin said, as I nodded in agreement.

**O.o.O**

When we had everyone changed into their borrowed clothes for the day, and the hobbits were talked into wearing the pink flip flops, we split everybody up. Riding along with me and Kristina was Gandalf, and naturally he was joined by Aragorn, Frodo, Sam and Legolas. So that leaves Boromir, Gimli, Merry and Pippin with Katie and Jeni.

Kristina's truck is a rather old one; the front seat is all one seat, just as the backseat is. So sitting up in the front with Kristina and I were Frodo and Sam, being the smallest and easiest to sit with. Aragorn sat behind the driver's side, Gandalf was in the middle and Legolas on the far end. We watched as the others squeezed into Jeni's car. Merry and Pippin were squished in the middle, and Gimli was behind Jeni with Boromir behind Katie.

I had left a note for my brother in case he came home and wondered where I was. However I should beat my parents back home. My brother was usually someone who would help me hide something if it was needed, so if he caught me trying to hide the fellowship he would _try_ to help. But it would cost me either lots of food, or lots of money.

The car ride was almost an unbearably silent ride. Few questions were asked and for the most part no one spoke, unless Kristina was cursing out the other drivers of the road. "Who's going to pay for everything we need?" Frodo asked, as we entered Des Moines.

"That'd be me. Katie wants to go with Jeni to her job interview, so Kristina and I will be taking you all. Besides she's the only one I trust with my money," I replied. "And everything needs to be somewhat cheap." I aimed the last bit at her. She is very much into expensive clothes since she started earning her own money. Which is always why she is in need of gas money.

Kristina nodded in agreement. "Get off my ass, you butt monger!" Kristina yelled at the rearview mirror.

As the car behind us decided to pass us in the fast lane, I looked to see the face of the driver. In the large truck was a pale wrinkled face and a middle finger sticking up at us. "That…that was…" Kristina stuttered.

"Mr. Wells," I laughed. "Get behind him and ride his ass!"

"No way, the schedule I got the other day says I'm in his gym class," she said.

"Who cares?" I asked.

"Look just because he hates you, doesn't mean I want him to hate me," she replied.

"He hates everybody equally," I said, nudging her to do it. "You're no fun!" Wells had gotten away, and I hadn't so much as gotten revenge, even just a tad bit.

"Why does that man hate you?" Sam asked.

"Because he told me to redo my mile run test because I was listening to my iPod," I said. "And all the other teachers let their students listen to their iPods while doing running tests."

"That was it?" Aragorn asked, incredulously.

"I may have gotten into an argument with him. And I may have called him a 'fucking asshole'," I replied. "But no one can really prove that last part."

"That was not very courteous of you to say that to one of you elders," Legolas said, and by the looks of Frodo's face, he just said what Frodo was thinking.

"Well he is an asshole. If he doesn't like kids he shouldn't be a teacher. Not to mention the fact that the second I was put into his class he decided he hated me," I said in my own defense.

"Tab, you never swam in his gym class, that's why he hates you," Kristina said.

"I did too! And there was a certain thing that prohibited me from swimming! Besides I retook all the tests and then he got mad at me because I did everything above average!" I said. "I'm also pretty sure he's a sexist."

Kristina shook her head. "You're impossibly stubborn."

We finally arrived at the mall, where Katie, Jeni and the others were already waiting. "What are we doing exactly?" Pippin asked.

"Katie and Jeni are going to the latter's job interview, and all of you will be with us," I said, pointing to Kristina and myself.

"We're going to be late if we don't get there," Jeni said, looking at her phone.

"We'll meet at the fountain at two thirty, okay?" I said.

The other two nodded and turned around to go inside with so much as a 'see ya later'. "I think Katie is a little on the pissy side today," Kristina commented. I was inclined to agree.

We turned to the fellowship to divide them up between us as evenly as we could. "Well, who should take who?" Kristina asked.

"Why can't we all go together?" Merry asked.

"You're sizes are all so different, so we'll have to go to different stores to get what you need," I replied. "So I guess we'll split up according to size."

"Well, you're short, so you take the short ones," Kristina said cheerily.

**Please drop me a review if you will, I really want to know what everyone is thinking of the revamp!**


	6. Coffee and Omens

**Hey guys, I think I lied. I'm totally changing everything until I get into Middle-earth. I'm sorry, but you guys seem to like where it's going, and I am so happy. I'm trying to keep myself on track with updates! I promise that much!**

**P.S. GleekLover 2012: I have the same exact problem. My boyfriend even gets fidgety during one movie! I'm glued to the TV! It sucks having a long attention span sometimes…**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Six: Coffee and Omens_

**-Tabby-**

So I ended up taking the four hobbits and Gimli. I split up the rest of my money that I had saved, so I got two hundred and fifty dollars just as Kristina did. Kristina had taken the tall ones and headed towards Old Navy to get rather expensive pants, but then again she has coupons out the wazoo, as well as an old navy credit card. However, I took my five to target.

"Why is Kristina taking the others towards that nicer looking shop?" Pippin asked.

"Because I'm a cheap son of a bitch," I replied. "She has coupons as well as a credit card especially for Old Navy."

I lead the way straight down the hallway, trying my best to not look around and find something I don't need to buy. I saw up ahead a store that I have to go into every time I see it. Journey's. The place I get my converse. To me, going in there is almost a religious practice. "Okay, no matter what I say, or what I try to do, do not let me go into Journey's. Got it?" I said.

"What's Journey's?" Gimli asked.

"They sell converse," I replied, pointing down at my bright purple shoes. "I really don't need a new pair. But I want one."

Frodo took my arm and led me to the other sides of the kiosks. I walked forward, still looking longingly at my favorite store ever.

Without my stop we made it into Target and into the men's section and I let them browse and find the things that they would like. So I told them that I was going to look for something myself, and that I would be back in ten minutes to see how they were doing.

I have to admit, I'm not proud of myself in the fact that I found three shirts that I had to have. I try not to act like I care about clothes like my friends do, but I'm actually a liar. I found a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shirt that was mine the second I saw it, I found a red Avenger's shirt that, again, was mine. The last shirt I found was Spiderman's face. Mine again. And lucky me, they were thrown onto the half off rack. So thirty bucks there. Boom.

When I returned I found Gimli, who was pulling a pair of jeans from a shelf from the bottom of the stack carelessly. The top of the stack fell onto the floor, and he let out a dwarvish curse. He began to pick them, though they weren't stacked as nice as they were. Frodo and Sam both had a pair of jeans wrapped around their necks as they sifted through a rack of shirts. They both had expressions of amazement on their faces as they slowly sifted through. Merry however, had a t-shirt over his shoulder and was looking at pants. And Pippin…where was Pippin?

"Where's Pippin?" I asked the group.

Merry stopped what he was doing and looked around. "He was here only a moment ago," Merry said.

"I'm over here!" Pippin said. He came around the corner of a Levi's stand. He held a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, as well as a very skimpy piece of woman's underwear. "What is this?" he asked holding up the aforementioned object.

"Uuuh, I don't think you need to know that," I replied.

"Is it for women?" he asked.

"Well, did you get it from the women's section?" I asked.

"No," he replied.

I made a face of disgust. "Ugh, I think I just threw up a little." I had no idea that they sold men's thongs at Target. "Put that back!" I said, pointing to the way he had come from.

"Not until you tell me what it is," he said.

"You _don't_ want to know, trust me," I replied.

"Yes I do," he challenged.

"If you put that back I'll buy you a beverage of your choice," I said.

"Do I get food?" he asked, slowly and suspiciously.

"Sure," I said. He grinned and went to put the underwear back. "Why do I feel like I just signed by death certificate?"

"Maybe because you did," Frodo said, "he'll hold you to that. And he will get what he wants."

"Great," I muttered.

When Pippin returned, I told them that they should try on their clothes. Naturally, the hobbits' were too big, but I told them I could fix their pants. By taking a pair of scissors to them. After a good hour in Target, we went to go pay for our clothes. Well I went to pay for them. I carefully chose a register away from the pretzel shop, so Pippin wouldn't see it.

"So where to now," Sam asked, as we left.

Not the food court. "How about Barnes and Noble?" I suggested. A book store should be safe, where Pippin can't find anything…embarrassing.

"But you said you'd buy me something to eat," Pippin said.

"Yes, but I didn't say when, did I?" I asked. Pippin realized that and fell back by Merry.

"I'm surprised, Tabitha, you're handling my cousin surprisingly well," Frodo whispered.

"I babysit," I replied. I lead them to the escalator. Barnes and Noble was up the escalator and to the right.

I had to almost fight Sam to get him up the escalator. But once we were up stairs and in the store Frodo immediately started going through the books that were directly ahead of us. The teen books, surprisingly. Pippin however saw the thing I had forgotten about. Starbucks.

"I can have a beverage of my choice, huh?" Pippin asked. "I want that."

"Damnit," I said. "Does anyone else want anything from Starbucks?"

Frodo came over with a two books. "I would," he said. "But you didn't tell me that Harry Potter was also a book."

"You didn't ask," I replied. "Now we have to drink and eat in the café."

"Can I bring these up there?" Frodo asked, holding up the Sorcerer's Stone and the Chamber of Secrets.

"Just don't spill anything on it," I replied.

I told the hobbits and Gimli to sit at a table while I went to order. And what did they want? Ten cookies and whatever I usually ordered. However Pippin demanded he come up with me. "Twelve cookies please and six tall mocha Frappuccino's," I said to the cashier.

"Tall?" Pippin asked. "Is that the biggest size they have?"

"Yes," I replied. "Go sit and I'll bring it to you."

I lied to a hobbit. Guilt is all I have right now. I lied to an adorable hobbit. The barista interrupted my small guilt trip by giving me the cookies. She didn't look happy now that she'd most likely have to make more of them. I went over to the table and set the cookies down and took two for myself. Two chocolate chip cookies to hopefully lift my spirits.

"These are fantastic," Gimli said through a mouthful of cookies.

"Well, enjoy," I said. It took a good ten minutes before the reset of our order was finished.

"Six mocha," the barista called out.

I got up and took the cup holder from her. I took mine and set the others in front of my companions. Gimli took one sip and made a face. "This is not fantastic," he said.

"If you don't finish it, I'll drink it," I said.

Pippin however was sucking his down like there was no tomorrow. Merry had attempted it but was now holding his head, and looked like he could cry.

"What's wrong, Merry?" Frodo asked.

"It hurts," he said.

"Brain freeze, you drank it too fast," I said, sipping mine. "I think Pippin's immune to it."

"Pippin, you need to breathe," Sam said, watching as Pippin hadn't taken the straw from his mouth.

I thought I would have a few moments of peace, but within five minutes Pippin was off, looking in the magazines, Merry had followed him, hoping to keep Pippin from making a mess, but he was doing more harm than good. Frodo was power reading, flipping through the pages like he wasn't even reading. Sam was remarkably untouched by the caffeine, but then again, it's Sam, the most level headed hobbit ever. And Gimli had barely touched his coffee.

"You know, I'm starting to think I broke three hobbits," I said. "I'm gonna call Kristina."

I dialed Kris's number. When she finally answered I told her she needed to get to her ass to Barnes and Noble, because I broke the hobbits. She laughed, but said they would pay and come to the book store.

Gandalf immediately went to Merry and Pippin and got them off of their sugar high. He grabbed their ears, twisted them and had a talk to them about running around unsupervised. However, Aragorn decided he needed to have a talk with me about my choice in beverages. Lucky me.

"What did you give them?" he asked.

"Coffee," I replied.

"Why would you do that?"

"Pippin was getting into things and I told him if he'd stop I would buy him a beverage of his choice," I said. "I forgot that Starbucks was in here."

"I need the next book," Frodo said getting up.

"What?! You're done with the first and second books already?" I asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Holy balls," I muttered.

Kristina came and sat down at the table with Aragorn, Sam, Gimli and myself. Legolas was forced to follow Frodo to the books, because he thought Legolas might like a book or two over there.

"Get in trouble?" she asked.

"Get in trouble?" I said in a mocking voice.

And at that moment my phone went off as someone called me. I looked at the caller id. "Who is it?" Kristina asked.

"Ugh, it's Cherie," I replied.

"Answer it, see what she wants," Kristina said.

"No. Way," I said.

"Do it, do it, do it," she yelled bouncing.

"Fine, for the love of God," I said. I flipped my phone open. "Hello?"

"Hey, girly," Cherie said so loud I had to hold the phone away from my ear.

"What's up?" I asked, in the most pleasant voice I could muster.

"Are you at Jordan Creek?" she asked.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Oh, I dropped by your house and saw the note on the door," she said. I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'm already here so, wanna hang out?"

"Well, I'm here with some friends already," I replied.

"Oh, that's okay!" she said. "Where are you at? Barnes and Noble if I know you, I'll meet you there!" And she hung up.

"Gather everyone and let's go before the ditz gets here," I said.

"What did she want?" Kristina asked.

"She wants to hang out," I replied.

"Legolas, Frodo, come on!" Kristina yelled to them. She got a lot of strange looks for calling out those names.

They hurried over as well as Gandalf and Merry and Pippin, to see what was wrong. "Let's go, someone is coming here who we don't want," I said, gather my purse and our bags.

"Who is it?" Gandalf asked, putting a hand on my shoulder in an effort to calm me down.

"Let's just say she's an ex-friend," I replied.

"I'm calling Katie and Jeni to meet us at the fountain," Kristina said.

"Why are you in such a rush, my dear?" Gandalf asked.

"Bad things always happen when Cherie is around," I replied.

**Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter. A lot of things are going to change while they're still in our world. Anyways, reviews feed the muse!**


	7. That No Good Dirty Rotten Bitch

**I do not mean to be a major downer here, but a tragedy has struck my family, and I may not be updating for a few weeks. So I am updating now to throw you guys a bone. So I may disappear for a few weeks, but I will continue this, just an FYI. **

**I would also like to dedicate this chapter to my late cousin D.J.: A loving son, nephew, father and cousin.**

**I ask you, dear readers, to enjoy this, and please be patient. Thank you, my dears.**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Seven: No Good Dirty Rotten Bitch_

**-Tabby-**

Kristina and I and the company got out of the store in time to see Katie and Jeni walking to the fountain on the first floor. We hurried down to join them.

"What is the problem?" Jeni asked. "We were looking at shoes!"

"Did you get the job?" Kristina asked.

"No," she replied.

"Then you don't need shoes," Kristina said.

"Look guys, Cherie is here, and you know she can find us no matter what we do, unless we leave of course," I said. "And I know no one here wants to see _her_."

"Well, I guess we don't really have a choice then," Katie said, picking up her purse.

"I don't understand," Boromir said. "Why must we leave because someone you don't particularly like is coming?"

"Because, no matter what, she has to destroy something of mine. If she found out I was hiding you, she'd turn around and tell my parents, and the cops and whoever else she could think of," I said.

"Why would she do that?" Legolas asked.

"Because she's jealous," Kristina replied.

"Of what?" he asked again.

"We were both in the running for the writer's club president, and I won," I replied.

"Which is rightly yours," Jeni put in. "Pretty sure writing the exact script of a Law and Order episode is against the rules."

"Well, duh, that's plagiarism," I said. "But point being, all she wants to do is screw up everything I have."

"Tabby!" came a sing-song voice from behind us.

I turned on my heels and glared at her, but I was stunned to see something that really, really pissed the hell out of me. "That bitch!" Kristina spat out.

"That no good, dirty rotten little bitch," I said.

The fellowship turned to see what we were cursing about. "How the hell…" Katie began.

Cherie walked over with her few new friends. "Look who I found," she said. "Saruman and Gríma were at your house looking for you."

Gríma was a very pale and sickly looking man, with pointed features, about my height, and a smug grin on his face. Which was creepier than Slenderman, by the way. Saruman looked surprisingly a lot like Gandalf. He did look older, and was a tad taller too. Of course he was clad all in white, and he looked so much sterner than Gandalf. His beard was shorter than Gandalf's and pure white, expect around the chin, which looked black or dark grey. Saruman had a look of slight amusement in his eyes.

"Hmm, getting together with the badies, why am I not surprised," I said. At that moment I didn't particularly care how those two got into my house and why.

"This is a new low for you," Kristina said. "Kudos."

"Thanks," Cherie said sarcastically, scrunching up her face at the insult. "It's a lot better than your pack of…mangy-looking mutts."

"That's it you dirty, little-" I was cut off as Katie covered my mouth, and Jeni and Kristina grabbed my arms to keep me from stepping any further and attacking her.

"Tabby, we do not hit people in public," Kristina said. "It'll end in a lawsuit, I know, I've done it."

I shoved them off. "Let's go," I said.

"We aren't through here, Tabitha," Cherie said.

"I think we are," I replied. "Or should I get a cop?"

"Because I'm so afraid of a rent-a-cop," she said.

"Security guard!" I yelled to the uniformed man, who was watching us by the escalators.

We walked over to the lot of us. "Do we have a problem here?" the middle-aged man asked.

"These three are making threats," I told him. "Saying they're going to kill us and everything."

"We did not!" Cherie said.

"They did!" Jeni said.

"We heard 'em," Kristina said.

"Said a whole lot more, too," Katie added.

"You three come with me," the security guard said. "The rest of you, move on your way."

I lead the way to the other side of the hall way. "You girls just lied to a sheriff!" Frodo said.

"She deserved it," Kristina said.

"It's our word against theirs," I said. "Besides all he's probably going to do ask them what happened, why they said what they said, and escort them out."

"If they do anything at all," Katie said.

"Don't be so negative," Jeni said.

"Don't be so naive," I replied. "Something tells me this isn't going to be pretty."

"Tab, we need to get back home, we need to get ready for work," Kristina said.

"Yeah, well, we parked on that side of the mall," I said, pointing back the way we had come. I looked back past everyone and saw that the security guard had left and so had Cherie and her new friends.

"They're not there, so let's make a break for it," Jeni said.

"Fine," I replied.

As we turned around and started to go back the way we had come, I fell behind. I was constantly looking over my shoulder to see where they had gone, and if they were following. I hadn't seen them so far, and I was falling way behind them. As I hurried to catch up to the tail end, behind Boromir, I passed Auntie Anne's Pretzel shop and a hall way that led to the bathrooms, when I was suddenly grabbed from behind. There was a hand over my mouth and an arm around my waist hauling me into the hallway to the bathrooms. I was so surprised and it happened so quickly that I didn't have time to freak out, or struggle.

I was dropped into the bathroom hallway in front of Saruman. He looked so much more intimidating and scary about a foot away from me. I backed into the wall. Gríma was now beside me and Cherie was off down the hall leaning against a vending machine.

"Lucile's great-granddaughter," were the first words to come out of his mouth. His voice was very smooth, and very deep. It would've been soothing if I didn't know what he was capable of.

"How did you get into my house?" I asked.

"What do you think you are going to accomplish?" Saruman asked. "You are a child. What can you accomplish in a war? Your tasks are far too big for you."

"Shut up!" I snapped. "You're trying to put a spell on me, make me listen to your poisonous words."

"Watch your tongue," Gríma said, stepping beside Saruman and drawing a knife.

"That's enough, Worm," Saruman said.

Gríma backed off, before Saruman could anger any further.

"Now, why don't you make my mission a little easier, and tell me which hobbit has the Ring," he said.

"Go to hell," I replied, trying to walk away, but Gríma stepped in front of me.

"Tabby!" I heard Kristina yell.

"Tabby!" came Boromir's voice.

I looked back at my 'captor's'. "Don't think you're leaving," Gríma said.

I glared at him and then kicked him in the shin as hard as I could. Gríma yelped and I made a break for it. "After her, you ass!" Saruman yelled.

Gríma followed and grabbed the only thing he could: my purse. He yanked it off of my shoulder. I grabbed at the strap and pulled on my purse. "Give it back!" I yelled.

"Tabby let it go!" Kristina said.

I sighed and let go of my purse, and ran over to where Boromir and Kristina were. I ran out the doors, followed by the other two. I practically sprinted to our cars. "What's the rush?" Aragorn said catching up to me.

"I really didn't want to stick around there," I said. Katie and Jeni had already shepherded their half of the fellowship to Jeni's car, as we rushed to get out of there.

"Well, just get in!" Kristina said, unlocking the truck's doors.

"Wait!" I yelled, as Frodo and Sam climbed into the truck, next to me.

"What?" Kristina snapped.

"They've got my purse!" I said, looking back at the doors to the mall.

"Who cares?!" she asked.

"They have my money, my permit, my social security card, everything!" I said.

"Tab, chill they can't do much with that. Saruman and Gríma probably don't even know what half of that stuff is, and the worst Cherie could do is not give any of it back. She's too stupid to steal your identity," Kristina said.

"I guess," I said. "But they know where I live!"

"They already did, because of Cherie," Kristina said.

I nodded and sighed. "Was there anything else that was in your purse?" Frodo asked.

My eyes got wide. "My check stub, they know where I work!" I said.

"Awe, shit," Kristina said. "What if they come in while we're at work?!"

"They don't know we work tonight," I said.

"I bet they won't come in," she said.

Cause that really calms me down.

**Like I said, I may not be back for a couple weeks with an update. But please let me know what if you like this chapter, because I feel iffy on it. But I shall see you soon dearies. **


	8. Hello, Goodbyes

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Eight: Hello, Goodbyes_

**-Tabby-**

The ride home was long and drawn out through the silence. Kristina and I didn't speak the whole way home, we didn't even look at each other either. We pulled into my driveway at three fifteen, to an empty house. Katie and Jeni pulled up behind us, and we all got out of the cars. Katie and Jeni looked bothered about something, well, I suppose I know what is bothering them, but I wanted to talk to them. I had made up my mind about ten minutes after we had fled from the mall.

I turned to the Fellowship. "Will you guys take your stuff to the camper? I wanna talk to my friends," I said.

Gandalf nodded. "Very well, my dear," he said and beckoned for the others to follow him.

I beckoned for my friends to join me at the picnic table. When the four of us were seated at the table I looked over their faces. Katie and Jeni were very quiet and didn't look at me. Kristina was looking between me and the table. "So what happened at the mall," I began.

"It was scary," Jeni said quietly. "And we could've been hurt."

"I know. And what I want to tell you guys is that I wouldn't think any less of you if you wanted to leave, and get out of this now. Before it gets any worse," I said. "This is my fight and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you three. So, if you want to get out now, go ahead. Again, I won't think any less of you."

"Well, this is your fight," Katie said. "I don't want to be part of it."

I nodded and looked to Jeni. "I don't want to get hurt," Jeni said. "I've got plans with what I want to do with my life. I-I'm going to go get my stuff." Jeni got up and went into the house, and Katie followed her.

I looked at Kristina. "What about you?" I asked.

"I'll stay," she said. "I mean, at least I'll help, my mom will want me home at some point."

I smirked. "I understand that," I said.

"But I will do what I can to help, as long as I can," she said.

"I appreciate that," I said. "I really do, but if I tell you to get out will you? I mean I don't want you to get hurt either."

"I will, I'll be a distraction, I'll cause mayhem, I'll be a chauffeur, whatever you need," she said.

"Thanks, you're the best," I said, smiling.

"I know," she said, as her phone started to ring. "That's my mom. You want me to stay the night again tonight?"

"If you could, that'd be great," I replied.

She nodded and answered her phone. Katie and Jeni came out with their clothes and phone chargers and whatever else they had with them yesterday. I walked over to them. "I guess I'll see you around then," I said.

"Yeah," Katie said. "See ya around."

I stopped as they got into Jeni's car. I waved as they left, only getting a half-hearted wave from them both as they left. As the car pulled out of the driveway I noticed that the Fellowship had gathered around the camper, all of them trying to act like they weren't watching. Kristina was still on the phone with her mother.

"It's safe to come over now," I called to them.

They turned and started to come over to the other side of the driveway. I walked back over to Kristina who had just gotten off the phone with her mom. "What's the verdict?" I asked sitting next to her.

"I'll have to be home tomorrow night at five," Kristina replied.

I nodded. "That's fine," I replied. "How long do we have before we need to go to work?"

"Not much longer about forty-five minutes," Kristina replied.

The eleven of us gathered around the picnic table, for a short while. "Where did Katie and Jeni go?" Pippin asked.

"They left," I replied.

"Why?" he asked again.

"I told them that if they wanted out then they should just leave. Saruman is here, so I don't think they need to be around if it's going to get dangerous," I replied. "Kristina decided to stay and help out as much as she can."

"A wise and brave decision on your part, my dear," Gandalf said.

"We do have something we need to speak to you about," Aragorn said.

"Do I need to leave for this conversation?" Kristina asked.

"No, no you're fine where you are," Aragorn replied.

"No Tabitha, in light of recent events," Gandalf began, "we feel that you must be trained in swordplay."

Kristina and I looked at each other and snickered. "Because she can totally lift a sword," Kristina said, jabbing her thumb at me.

"I'd probably cut my own foot off in five seconds," I added.

"I doubt that," Merry said, "Pippin didn't"

"Hey!" Pippin yelled, elbowing Merry, causing Merry to laugh.

"Regardless, you must be trained if you're going back with us," Gandalf said.

"I guess you're right," I muttered.

"Oh my god! I have to be there!" Kristina said, laughing and clapping her hands.

"Maybe you should train as well," I said.

"Na-uh! I'm going to record your fails, when are you starting?!" she asked Aragorn excitedly.

"Tomorrow morning," he replied, looking from Kristina to me.

"You're too excited about this," I muttered.

**O.o.O**

"So, you're just going to let them all watch Harry Potter until we get to your house?" Kristina asked, as we walked into work.

"Yep," I replied. "The hobbits wanted it, so I'm going to appeal to the hobbits."

"Why?" she asked.

"Would you want a certain two hobbits bouncing off the walls in a closed space for five hours?" I asked her.

"No," she replied.

"Didn't think so," I said, leading the way to the broom closet where we hung up our things. "You know it feels really weird not having anything to hang up."

"Well, you're the one that got your purse stolen by a creep," she said.

"Because I threw it at Gríma, and yelled: 'Here take my purse and everything that's in it!'" I replied sarcastically.

"Thank you Lieutenant Sarcasm," Kristina said as we clocked in on the time sheet.

"You two are in back," Duane, our boss, said without looking up from his payroll binder. Mary, Duane's wife, moved from the side of the door frame so we could get back into the kitchen.

Once safely behind the two freezers Kristina and I made a face of disgust at each other and spun a finger in the air. Because we were just so excited to be in kitchen with a pissed off Mary.

Three fourths of the night passed in a quiet blur. Dishes, salads, dishes, fries, onion rings, dishes. It was a real quiet night, so most of it was actually spent with Kristina and me begging the two front girls, Alex and Amanda, for more pop. With the fact that the two of us were in the kitchen the only cleaning we had to keep up on was dishes and a swept floor. And with most people ordering ice cream, we were pretty much useless. More than useless actually, since Mary ran the grill and fryers.

At about seven thirty Mary had gone up to stand with Duane and complain about how useless every last employee they had was, Kristina and I stood at the window where we placed ready orders. "How exactly do you plan on hiding the fellowship from your parents much longer?" Kristina whispered.

I shrugged. "Pretty sure I'm bound be caught at some point. However my money is on Derek being the first to find out," I replied.

"Oh, and he'll tell too, won't he?" she asked, making a face.

"It'll be a case of blackmail," I said, leaning on the boxes of extra syrup for the pop machine.

"What'll be a case of blackmail?" Amanda said, happily joining us from the opposite side of the window.

"Well isn't someone in a peppy mood?" I asked.

"She's a cheerleader, it's her job," Alex said, coming up to join us.

"Why don't you go eat a cheeseburger?!" Amanda snapped, using her oh so favorite one liner, that sucks, might I add.

"Why don't you both go eat a cheeseburger," Kristina said.

"Yeah, you're both so freaking skinny," I added.

"Well you never answered my question," Amanda said, fixing the zebra print bow in her hair.

Kristina and I looked at each other and shook our heads. "Well, Tab, it's almost eight, you think you know who is still going to come in?" she asked.

"Voldemort?" Alex asked.

"No you git," I said.

"Ooooh! I bet it's your boyfriend! And I bet you're not allowed to have one!" Amanda said, cooing. "I bet that's what the blackmail talk was about."

I opened my mouth to say something but I shook my head, and resisted the urge to beat Amanda over the head with one of the trays on the windowsill.

"Bow chica wow wow!" Alex said, laughing.

"Really resisting the urge to beat you both with a tray," I said.

"Tabby's got a boyfriend, Tabby's got a boyfriend!" Amanda sang.

I lifted up the tray and attempted to smack her on the shoulder with it, but that's when the side door in the lobby opened up. In walked an overly arrogant, tanned girl with highlighted short hair, followed by a bearded old man in white, and a bent over creep with black hair. I slammed the tray down and pulled Kristina out of view behind the wall.

"Yes, Kristina I still think they're coming in," I said.

"Who are they?" Amanda hissed at us, as Duane came up to take the register.

"Stalkers," I mouthed, and pulled Kristina to the other side of the kitchen and behind the two freezers again.

"Now what?" Kristina hissed.

"No idea, but I don't think they saw us," I replied. "Should've called in, should've called in."

"Hurry, get down," Kristina hissed, getting on all fours.

"Why?" I asked.

"So they don't see us, duh!" she said.

"…And would a girl named Tabitha happen to work here?" came Saruman's booming voice, from the other side of the wall.

I joined Kristina on the floor. "If we're lucky they'll order ice-cream and leave," she whispered.

"Yes, actually…" came Duane's voice.

"But she's off tonight," Amanda said, interrupting.

"Well, Kristina is here," said Cherie, cheerily. "We would like to talk to _her_."

Kristina and I exchanged looks. "Shit," she muttered.

"She's not here either," Alex said.

"Really? I saw her truck out there," Cherie said.

"Ugh, she's not as dense as I thought she was," I muttered.

"Alright, you two go in the back," Duane said. "I'm going to talk to you all in a minute. Both of them are here, but can I ask why you want to speak to them?" Duane went on as Alex and Amanda joined us in the back.

"Hello trouble," Kristina muttered, looking at the girls who came back. Amanda looked about ready to cry.

They looked around for a moment, before seeing us on the floor. They sat down next to us looking guilty. "We tried," Amanda said.

"Don't worry about it," I replied. "You did the best you could, Duane is just a little thick."

"A lot thick," Kristina put in.

"Whatever," I muttered.

But that was when Mary and Duane came back into the kitchen, Mary with a ticket of what to cook, and Duane with an annoyed look. They both stopped and stared at us for a moment. "Why are you on the floor?" Mary asked.

"Looking for Kristina's contact," I said a little too quickly.

"We didn't find it," Alex said.

"Get up girls," Duane said.

The four of us got up and looked at Duane. "What is the problem? Why are you two lying to the customers, and why are you two standing around doing nothing?" Duane all but yelled.

"Duane it's my fault," I said. "I've been a little preoccupied, because the three people that came in have been following Kristina and me around for the past three days. They won't leave us alone, and they've made a couple threats to us already." Okay, so I lied to my boss. Sue me?

"And why didn't you tell me when you came in?" he asked.

"I didn't think they knew we worked here," I replied. "And Alex and Amanda were just trying to help."

"Well, have you gone to the cops?" he asked.

"Yes," I lied. "But they have to cross a line before they can do anything."

"Alright, then. I'm sorry, why don't you two write down what you want to take home. I'm paying, and then when Mary's done making it, you can go," he said.

"Okay, thanks," Kristina said brightly.

Duane turned around and left, telling Saruman, Cherie and Gríma something about how he doesn't let people talk to his workers whilst working. Kristina and I wrote down what he decided was a good enough to take back to the Fellowship. Both of us wrote down two large orders of fries a piece, and hung them up for Mary to make.

When our food was ready and Duane gave us the ok, Kristina and I clocked out and a quarter past eight, grabbed Kristina's purse. We looked at three of our enemies who were well into eating their burgers. Kristina and I made a run for it, and burst out the door, just as Saruman was yelling for us to stop, and Duane yelling at us for running on a wet floor.

"That was close," I breathed, and Kristina backed out of the space. I was balancing all four white Styrofoam boxes of fries on my knees.

"No shit," she replied. Just as we were pulling out of the parking lot, Cherie came running out with the other two on her tail.


	9. Bitch Waffles, Vertices, and-Oof!

**Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews! I'm very happy that you guys are liking the changes, my mind is just swimming with ideas for the revamp! Anyways, here's chapter nine, and I hope you enjoy it, thanks guys!**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Nine: Bitch Waffles, Vertices, and-Oof!_

**-Tabby-**

Kristina and I pulled into my home driveway at nine o'clock with all the extra food we had gone to buy. We figured it was the least we could do since we left them all there by themselves with little to do, and little hope and Merry or Pippin remembered how to change DVD's.

Kristina and I split the food bill down the middle, she bought ten burgers from Mcdonalds and I bought another ten. We figured the guys could use two sandwiches each, and then we each bought a burger for ourselves. It wasn't much, but beings that we got free food from work only had to spend about twelve bucks each, we decided it was a steal.

We both had our hands full, so when we got to the camper I kicked the door. "It's us," I called.

The door opened a little and Pippin peeked out. "What's the password?" he asked.

I smiled. "Food," I replied.

"Good enough," he said and let us in.

Kristina and I retreated back to our corner. "We've got burgers and fries," I said. "The fries might be a little cold, though."

"What are fries?" Sam asked, from the bed above us. The other three hobbits were up there, and Pippin was climbing up there, using three cabinets stacked over each other as a ladder.

"Potatoes fried in oil," Kristina replied, digging through her sack of burgers.

"Why are you guys up there?" I asked. "Don't hobbits hate heights?"

"Well, it's not too high up once you get used to it," said Sam.

"And we get a better view of the movie," Frodo replied.

I noticed that the TV was back to the menu of _the Prisoner of Azkaban_. So they had remembered how to change out the movies. Bravo.

"Alrighty then," I said, handing up one of my boxes of fries.

Gandalf was sharing the far bench/bed with Aragorn, Legolas; and Gimli and Boromir were on the bed Kristina and I were sitting on. Two burgers were given out to each member, and Kristina and I kept one each.

"So how was your night at work?" Pippin asked from above me.

"Horrid," Kristina said.

"Eventful," I said at the same time.

"What happened?" Aragorn asked.

"You-know-who came in," Kristina replied.

"Voldemort?" Pippin asked.

I snickered. "We do not speak his name!" I hissed up at him. Pippin laughed. "But seriously, Cherie brought Saruman and Gríma in."

"Yep, ended up getting Amanda and Alex in trouble," Kristina added.

"I hope Duane left it at that, and didn't harass those two any further," I said.

"Please, Amanda needs to be taken down a few pegs," Kristina said, grabbing a handful of fries.

"Duane is really hard on her, Kris. The other night, when you weren't there, he made her cry," I said.

"Well, she's too sensitive," she said.

"It's Amanda," I replied. "I swear if I get a message from her saying she went home crying again, I'm going to some sort of human resources department."

"Mary is the human resources," Kristina said.

"Well, Mary is a bitch," I replied.

"True that," she said.

"Me?" Merry asked.

"Mary, M-a-r-y. You're not a bitch. If it helps when we talk about we'll call her the bitch waffle," Kristina said.

Merry shrugged, and nodded. "That sounds alright."

"Again, you're speaking ill of your elders," Frodo commented. "And I'm surprised that Merry's encouraging this."

"You've never met the bitch waffle," I said.

"But what happened?" Boromir asked interrupting, as I took a bite out of my burger.

Kristina and I tried to take turns telling everyone about our night, but we were both trying to get too much in at once, that Gandalf had to tell us to settle down three times.

"Well, I think you girls should consider yourselves lucky," Gandalf said. "Saruman believes he can capture you by other means. Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

I shrugged. "That's slightly comforting," I told him, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Only slightly," Kristina said, taking a bit out of her burger.

I nodded and held up my thumb and forefinger with minimal space between them. Gandalf and the rest chuckled a bit.

"But this all reinforces my point that you must learn how fight," Gandalf said.

"Don't look so upset about that," Aragorn said.

"I can't help but feel that I'm going to chop of my own arm," I said.

"Well, maybe we'll start with something a little…less intimidating for you," Boromir suggested.

"What about archery?" Kristina suggested. "She's a great shot, used to pitch for her softball team."

"Yeah, but I was nine, that was seven years ago," I replied.

"Tabby, at last year's Stats Olympics you hit the dunk tank target so many times in a row, the seniors couldn't get an accurate statistical reading," Kristina said.

"I was motivated, it was Mrs. Gilson in the tank," I replied.

"Let me guess, you hate her," Legolas said.

"She wrongfully failed me in geometry," I argued. "Just because I don't understand a vortex, doesn't mean she can't help me understand it."

"Vertex, Tab. A vortex is something that throws you into another dimension. Vertex is the geometry term," Kristina said.

"Don't math at me. Besides I'm never going to use that in real life," I replied. "How's a vertex going to help me defeat Melkor?"

"I don't think people really thought that would be your future," she added.

"Fairly certain nobody cares anyway," I muttered.

"But what would you prefer to focus your training on?" Aragorn asked.

"I don't know, probably try everything and the decided what I have the most potential in," I said.

"Nothing," Kristina said, giggling.

I took my balled up wrapper from my sandwich and threw it at her. "Shut up you wing-nut," I said.

"Well, then I suppose we test you in everything in the morning," said Gandalf.

"Wait, like early morning," Kristina asked.

"Stop, I'll feed you," I replied.

Our conversation died down, and we ended up spending the rest of the night watching the fourth Harry Potter movie.

**O.o.O**

The morning came bright and too early. Kristina set an alarm for seven in the morning, when my parents had already left. I was so tired from not much sleep the night before, and the fact that we didn't go to bed until almost one, that Kristina had to literally pull me into the living room by my ankle. She left me there as she took a shower.

When she came back up she plopped onto the floor next to me. "You know, I thought I would be the one having the trouble waking up this morning," she said.

"I hate you," I muttered.

"Yeah, well, I think your hate for me is about to be displaced onto Aragorn, Legolas, and Boromir," she said. "Go shower so you can wake up."

I groaned and crawled out into the kitchen and made it down stairs. The shower was freezing, no matter what I tried to do. So now I guess I know why Kristina took the shower first. I trudged upstairs and fell into the kitchen chair, next to my friend.

"Want some food?" she asked, through a mouth full of Pop tart.

I shook my head. "I want sleep," I said.

"Well, maybe you should get more sleep," she said.

I glared at her. "Do you know if they're up yet?" I asked.

"Gandalf's already come in to see if you were up," she replied, picking off the edges of her second tart.

"Ugh, they all want to start early," I said, getting up to put my shoes on. I shoved my feet into my bright purple converse, as Kristina finished her breakfast.

I looked out the window to see Aragorn and Boromir sparing and the others sitting at the picnic table. Merry and Pippin looked like they were asleep on the table. "Alright, let's get this day started," I said.

Kristina got out her phone and led the way out the door with a big grin on her face. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, as I followed Kristina outside. The clanking of swords stopped as we walked outside, and we were greeted with a chorus of good mornings. Kristina replied in a very chipper tone.

I waved and yawned again, catching my foot on stick that had been in my path. I threw my hands out as I fell forward. I hit the dewy grass with a yelp and a groan. "Are you alright?" Aragorn said, walking over with Boromir.

"Maybe I should just lie here," I said.

"Tab, get up," Kristina said.

"No, it's an omen," I said to the grass. I realized that the grass was rather comfy at the moment. "You know, I could just sleep here."

"Tabby, come on get up," Kristina said, nudging my arm with her foot.

"No, I'm dead. You didn't give me any caffeine," I replied.

"Oh my God! You're such a child!" she yelled.

With a whole lot of pulling and pushing and arguing, Kristina finally got me onto my feet and over to the picnic table. I sat down next to Merry and Pippin and laid my head down to sleep like they had done.

"You do realize that you three are the ones who are training today, don't you?" Legolas asked.

The three of us grunted in reply, and I looked up. "Can I have some coffee?" I asked.

"Tabby, come on, be happy," Kris said.

"You're just in a good mood because you don't have to do anything!" I accused.

"Ladies," Gandalf warned. "Tabitha, what would you like to start with?"

"Sleep," I said, laying my head back down.

"Why don't you choose for her," Kristina suggested.

And so it was decided that we would be starting with hand to hand combat. Aragorn demonstrated how to stand with my fists up to block a strike. Feet shoulder width apart, hands balled up into fists in front of my jaw. Yes, yes, everything I learned from the Karate Kid. (At least the how-to-look-slightly-intimidating stance.) But I kept that to myself.

"Good stance," Aragorn commented. "Now Merry, Pippin, come up here to spar."

The two hobbits got up from the table and moped out onto the grass. "Why are we sparing with her? She's a girl," Pippin said.

"My mother always told me not to hit women," Merry added.

"Yeah, my mom told me I shouldn't hit people smaller than me, including my brother," I said.

"Smaller?" Pippin asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that, well, you're half my height, and I don't want to hurt you," I said, quickly, realizing that I just insulted them. And I was digging my hole even deeper. "No, wait, I didn't mean it that way!"

Merry and Pippin looked at each other, and I could see the gears turning in their heads. In a second the two were aiming kicks at me in both my shins. But I quickly grabbed their ankles and held them up waist high. "Whatever happened to not hitting women?" I asked, and I quickly lifted their legs up too high, causing them to lose their balance and fall on their backs.

"How'd you learn that?" Boromir asked in surprise, as the two hobbits groaned.

"Babysitting my little cousins; they're twins," I replied.

"Whatever happened to not hitting people smaller than you?" Merry asked.

"I did not hit you, I merely made you lose your balance," I replied.

"And we weren't going to hit you, we were going to kick you," Pippin said, helping Merry up.

"Technicalities," I said.

"Your cousins are little demons if they try to kick you like that," Kristina said.

"They're directly related to my grandfather on my dad's sided. Of course they are," I replied.

"So then you do know some fighting?" Aragorn asked.

"Look I win about half the fights I've ever had with my brother and cousins, but that's only half," I said.

"So?" Kristina said. "That was awesome, do it again!"

"Why don't you get up there," Merry said to Kristina.

"Alright, hold this," she said, giving Merry her phone, to continue recording.

"Why do you have to record this?" I asked her as she got up.

"Because, now turn around I'm going to surprise attack you," she said, walking behind me.

I sighed and turned around. "You know, it's not really a surprise attack if you tell me-oof!" Kristina had run and jumped onto me, piggy-back style. "What the fuck are you doing!?"

"Surprised?" she asked.

"I hate you," I said, and let myself fall backwards onto the ground, landing on top of her.

"Oof!" she said, as she hit the ground, all my weight on her stomach.

"Serves you right," I said, rolling off and getting up. "D.J. taught me that one."

"How?" she asked, trying to catch her breath, as I had knocked the wind out of her.

"I did the same thing to him," I replied.

"But he's twice your size," she groaned.

"Well, I learned real quick, didn't I?" I replied. "That's what happens when you grow up as the only granddaughter for eight years."


	10. Caught Red Handed

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Ten: Caught Red Handed_

**-Tabby-**

The late morning came with bruises for everyone with the exception of Gandalf, Frodo and Sam. No one made them do any sort of training. Aragorn and Boromir were the ones training me in hand-to-hand, and I popped them a couple good ones in the process. But they wore the black eyes with pride, as their pupil got 'rather good' in Gandalf's words. Gimli's black eye was an accident, as I had elbowed him when I drew back a punch at Legolas. And I kicked Legolas a little hard in the shin. And when I did the back flop onto Kristina I did manage to bruise a couple ribs. I was really sorry. For the most part.

We were taking a breather now, getting some water and some lunch. "Hard morning," I said to Kristina, as I flipped the last grilled cheese for myself.

"For you or everyone?" she muttered.

"Everyone with black eyes and bruised ribs," I said, turning off the stovetop.

We joined the Fellowship in the living room, sitting on the couch with the hobbit brigade. "These are rather…gooey," Sam commented, licking the cheese off his fingers.

"They're supposed to be," I replied, taking a bite and dripping cheese all over my plate.

"What did you say these were made of?" Aragorn asked, pulling his grilled cheese apart.

"Bread and cheese," I replied.

"Clog you up for a week the way she makes 'em," Kristina said, taking a bite and jabbing her thumb at me.

I grinned and took a huge bite. "So what am I going to learn after lunch?" I asked Gandalf.

"I think you're quite ready for swordplay," he mused.

"'Quite ready?'" I asked.

"Yes, you've done splendidly so far," he replied.

"Hmm, here that?" I asked Kristina. "I've done splendidly. And all you've done today is kill your phone and get bruised ribs."

"Well, props to me for trying," she said.

"Yes, kudos," I replied.

After we finished lunch we went back outside. Boromir would be sparing with me and Aragorn would basically be a backseat teacher, telling me what I was doing wrong or right.

"This is how your first lesson is going to work," Boromir began, "I will attack, you will block. Three slaps of my sword to your arm, and you must switch to your other hand, three slaps to that arm, and you are done."

"Uhm…alright," I said, as Frodo handed me his sword to use. Sting. Probably chosen for me to use by Gandalf.

The sword seemed light, well lighter than I had originally thought any sword would be, even a short one. Boromir swung his sword around a couple times, just for the purposes of showing off, I think.

I took a deep breath and got into the position I had when I was practicing hand-to-hand. And without warning Boromir took a strike, and slapped me on the forearm with the flat edge of his blade.

"Ouch!" I screeched. "You could've warned me!" I heard snickering coming from the picnic table, and I glared sideways at everyone over there, flushing bright red.

"You won't be getting any warnings when you're in battle," he replied.

"Well, I'm not in battle am I? I'm having my first lesson!" I said. And then Boromir struck again, this time hitting me on my upper arm. "Ow! Hey, I wasn't ready!" More snickering.

"Strike two," he said, swinging his sword around again. "One more and you must switch."

I grunted and held up Sting again, this time I was going to be ready. I watched Boromir this time and as he stuck I held up my borrowed sword and blocked his strike. "Good, good," Boromir commented, swinging his sword for a third time like the damn show-off he is.

"Move your feet," Aragorn said.

Boromir went for a third strike, and I took Aragorn's advice. I slipped to the side, seeing that he was moving in the same way he had for the past two strikes. I used Sting to slap Boromir's wrist, perhaps a little harder than I needed too, but hey I was a little angry.

"Ah," he said, switching hands and shaking his wrist. "Good hit."

"Thanks," I said, going for a second strike.

Boromir was too quick, and blocked me. This happened for another three of my strikes, and then he slapped me for a third time on my forearm again. "Ouch!" I howled and dropped the sword to rub my arm. Three long red marks decorated my whole arm.

"Switch hands," he said, with a smile.

"My left hand is pathetically useless," I replied, still rubbing my arm.

"You'll have to learn to use it," he said.

"Quit being so happy about this," I snapped at him, picking up the sword in my left hand.

My left hand grew tired very quickly, even before the first strike came. I couldn't find the right stance using my left side, and I grew irritable.

When Boromir made the first strike, I could barely block it. Our swords clashed and the second strike came immediately but I missed, and Boromir whapped my left arm. "Ow! This fucking sucks!" I hissed, rubbing my arm.

"Tab, quit acting like you're five," Kristina said.

"I'd like to see _you_ try!" I snapped at her.

"Let's take a few moments to calm down," Gandalf said, breaking up a possible fight. "Tabitha, may I have a moment?" He got up and beckoned for me to follow him.

I handed Sting off to Aragorn and walked next to Gandalf, pushing hair out of my sweaty face. He put an arm around my shoulders and we walked towards the side of the house by the driveway.

"Merry, Pippin," Aragorn said. "Your turn."

"You've got a temper," he said, stopping and turning to me.

"I do not!" I snapped. He raised his eyebrows and I sighed. "Alright, I have a slight temper."

"You must learn to control it," he said, "you won't get far with one. You can't let your anger control your decision making, especially in battle. It could cost you your life."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "I just don't think I'm really cut out for this like I thought," I moped, looking down at my feet. "I don't even think I could kill something, let alone maim or seriously injure." I looked over at the sound of clinking swords. Merry and Pippin were doing a lot better than I was.

Gandalf put a hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him. "I'm going to tell you what I told Bilbo seventy years ago: True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one," he said.

I sighed, feeling only slightly better. "I just don't think I'm very good with swordplay," I said.

"Boromir is a hard teacher, yes, I agree," he replied. "It took a lot of convincing for him to agree to help train you. But he's one of the best swordsmen I've come across in my many ventures. If you allow yourself to be trained by him, I believe you can become quite good yourself."

"You really think so?" I asked.

He nodded. "I do, and maybe you should put a little more faith in yourself, eh?" he said. "Let's give it another go."

I nodded. "Alright, I guess I can," I said, turning back to try again.

"That's the spirit," Gandalf said, patting my shoulder.

Kristina looked over at us with a big grin on her face, happy to see I was going to try again, and with a partially better attitude. But her face immediately fell. "Uh-oh," I heard her say.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Kristina. "I think you might be in-"

"Oooh, you are in _so_ much trouble!" I heard a familiar voice say.

I spun on my heels to find my brother standing there, with both an expression of shock and amusement on his face. "What are you doing home?" I snapped. "You're supposed to be at Zack's still!"

"Mom said I had to be home today," he replied. "And speaking of mom, I'm gonna call her!"

"Don't… you… dare!" I said slowly, pointing at him.

He slowly pulled out his phone, and I started for him, before I got there he had mom's number dialed and ringing. He took off at a run and I sprinted after him. "Get back here you little shit!" I screamed.

"No, you're in trouble!" he yelled, holding his phone to his ear.

"DEREK!" I roared.

"Get him Tabby!" Kristina yelled.

"Mom! Mom! Tabby has-" he was cut off as I tackled him.

I grabbed his phone as he came down. "It's nothing mom!" I yelled into the phone and hung up. I tossed the phone towards Kristina and sat on my brother.

"Don't you dare say a word about this to mom and dad!" I hissed at him. "Got it?" He grinned. "Got it?!" I yelled grabbing his shirt and shaking him.

"What do I get out of it?" he asked.

"Your life!" I said.

"You wouldn't actually kill your brother, would you?" Sam asked.

I glared at my brother. "What is it going to take for you to stay quiet?" I asked.

He looked over at the Fellowship and then back at me. "I want to watch," he said.

Too easy. "That's it?" I asked, arching my eyebrow.

"Your laptop, no chores, fifty dollars, and your iPod," he said.

I breathed heavily. "Fine," I said, getting up. "You'll have to wait a couple weeks on the money, though."

"Fine by me," he said, offering his hand for help up.

I grabbed his hand without a second thought, and pulled him to his feet. "Deal's off if you squeal, asshole," I said.

"I'm aware," he replied. "So why did you hire a bunch of guys to dress up as Lord of the Rings characters?"

"I didn't hire anyone," I said.

"Then who are they?" he asked, pointing at the Fellowship.

"Shut your trap, it's over your head," Kristina said.

"Oh, and FYI," Derek said. "Dad and mom are gonna be home early. They're going leaving for Illinois for their anniversary this weekend. They gotta pack."

"When?" I asked, suddenly feeling panicked.

Derek said nothing as the crunch of gravel came from the end of the driveway. "Run to the other side of the house!" I said, quickly to the Fellowship.

But it was too late, both my dad's truck and my mom's car pulled into the driveway. "What the hell is your problem?!" I yelled at him. "You're a sadist and the deal is off!"

He shrugged as my dad quickly got out of his truck and ran over to us. "What the fuck is going on?!" he yelled at me. "Who the hell are they?" He pointed at the Fellowship, who had stopped running knowing that we were caught.

"U-u-uh…uuuhhh," I tried. My father was seething mad, and my mom was in total shock.

"My good sir," Gandalf said, coming forward. "Everything shall be explained. Why don't we take a step inside the house?"

"What the hell is going on?" my dad said again.

Gandalf, with the help of his charm, got my dad to calm down, and got my shocked mother to come inside with him. Granted, it took a good fifteen minutes. I grabbed Derek by the wrist and pulled him into the house behind me.

"Tabby…" Kristina said trying to follow, but Aragorn grabbed her by the wrist and held her back.

"Just wait for me out here," I called over my shoulder. Ohh man, mom and dad are going to murder me.

_Fuck_.


	11. Fireworks, Death-threats, and Congratula

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Eleven: Fireworks, Death-threats, and Congratulations _

**-Tabby-**

I sat back in the corner at the kitchen table slumped down in my chair with my back against the wall. Gandalf sat on my left, and my parents and my brother sat at the far end of the table as far away from Gandalf as possible.

"So what is going on here?" my dad asked far too calmly for my liking. "Who are you, and what are you doing with my daughter?"

Gandalf reached into his robes and brought out the old book I had a couple days ago.

"My name is Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey," Gandalf began. "Which one of you is the blood relative of Lucile?"

"My dad," I said.

Gandalf nodded. "Then this may be very hard for you to hear, but-"

"Uh, Gandalf, wait," I said, interrupting. I beckoned for him to lean closer. "My dad isn't gonna believe a word out of your mouth, so you better have a magic trick ready for him," I whispered. "Like make something float or something." Gandalf nodded.

"I'm calling the cops," my mom said, as my dad and brother stared at Gandalf in such disbelief.

"No mom wait!" I yelled.

"What will it take to prove to you that I am actually Gandalf?" he asked my parents.

"I want to see some fireworks," my dad said, folding his hands on the table.

"But dad, I don't think he has any-" I began.

Gandalf put patted my shoulder. "I always have something up my sleeve," he said. "Let us step outside then." Gandalf seemed to be a little amused by my dad's request.

Really starting to get the feeling that Gandalf is, in fact, a pyromaniac.

We followed Gandalf outside, my mom clutching my brother's shoulders and my dad following right behind the wizard, and I was the last outside.

"That was too quick," I heard Frodo say.

"No, maybe Gandalf has to do something to prove that he is the real Gandalf," Kristina said in reply.

Gandalf tapped his staff three times on the small sidewalk that wrapped around the side of the house. Sparks came out from the bottom of his staff that, instead of just falling to the ground, grew wings and flew up into the air as colorful fire butterflies. A bright green one flew in front of my face, about an inch in front of my nose, and then fell into itself with a sizzle and a pop.

"Not very impressive," my dad said.

I sighed and rolled my eyes as Gandalf laughed. Gandalf tapped his staff on the ground another three times. This time there was a burst of sparks and flame from the top of his staff, this time. Out of the sparks and flame, a giant fire eagle burst out and swooped overhead, full of red, orange and yellow. The eagle flew up around the tree in a spiral and then exploded in a cacophony of bangs, sizzles and colors. Red, blue and purple sparks rained all the way down to the ground.

"Well…that's pretty irrefutable," my dad muttered, watching the sparks fall.

"But why are you here?" my mother asked.

"Back inside so we may discuss this in private," Gandalf said.

I couldn't help but smile. My dad wanted Gandalf fireworks, he got Gandalf fireworks.

"Now," Gandalf said when we had all taken our seats again. "In regards to Lucile," Gandalf began, pulling out the old Polaroid and handing it to my dad. "Please look in the upper left hand corner." I turned the light on behind me, so they could see well.

"What the hell is that?" my dad said slowly, as he studied the photo. "It looks like a shadow, or person that was almost purposefully blackened out."

"That's what I said," I muttered.

"What is that?" my dad asked, handing the photo to my mom.

"That is the Necromancer," Gandalf replied.

"Sauron," I said, for everyone, because I'm the only one who really remembers that they're one and the same, out of the family that is.

"But what's he doing behind my father and aunt?" dad asked.

"Trying to get to grandma," I replied.

"What?" he asked.

Gandalf opened the infamous book to the front cover and slid the book over to dad. "This is the note your grandmother left to your daughter," Gandalf said.

My dad reached into his pocket and pulled out his reading glasses. He held the book between himself and mom, and Derek shoved his head in between their shoulders. They read silently to themselves for a good while. Probably trying to decipher the writing.

"Sauron is after you?" dad asked me.

"Wants me dead," I replied.

"Oh, God," my mom whispered, putting her face in her hands.

"What do you propose we do then, to protect our daughter?" dad asked again.

"Well, the thing is," I began, starting to slide slowly down in my chair. "I have to defeat Melkor, rather than Sauron. Melkor is basically the evil God in their world. I have to kinda fight him and kill him. And I have to go back to Middle-earth with…them." I ended up so far down in the chair that only my eyes and up was visible.

"No," dad said. "You're sixteen, you're not going. I don't even know how they got here or how you're getting there or home. You could die. No. you're not going."

"But Boromir and Aragorn are training me. Granted I just started today, but-" I sat up real quick.

"I said no!" he said.

"Dad, this has to be done! This could fall on Devin, Melissa, Breanna! Or even my daughter!" I said. "I know the most about it, and I could-"

"And how do we know you haven't died?" my mother said, tears in her eyes.

I stared at the table. "What if I could send a letter?" I asked. "A letter telling you that I'm okay and alive."

"How would you do that?" mom asked.

"I bet Manwe could help," I said, looking at Gandalf. "Wouldn't he?"

"I think he'd try," Gandalf said. "Letters had been sent to Lucile, telling her about the danger. If you allow Tabitha to go, all you would have to do is light a fire once a week, and a letter would be sent to you in that fashion."

"Kids, go outside," dad said. "Both of you, now."

Dad was way too calm about this. I got up and squeezed out of the corner, behind Gandalf. I grabbed Derek by the shirt, who wanted to stay and listen. I drug him outside and closed the door behind us.

We walked down to the picnic table in the middle of the yard. "Is everything okay?" Kristina asked.

"Well, I'm not dead yet, so I think that's a good sign," I replied, sitting next to her.

"Your brother is trying to eavesdrop," Legolas pointed out.

"Get over here you little rat!" I yelled at Derek.

"Why?"

"Because I'll kill you if you don't!" I replied.

"Do you always threaten your brother's life?" Gimli asked me.

"Yup," I replied.

"It's a sibling thing," Merry replied. "How many times did your sisters threaten you, Pip?"

"All three together or individually?" he asked.

"How many siblings do you have?" Kristina asked.

"Three older sisters," Pippin replied.

"Your parents are either really brave or really stupid to have three daughters," she commented.

"I'd be inclined to say both," Pippin said. "But I love them."

"Probably can't say the same for Tabby," Merry said, as Derek sat next to me and I immediately punched him in the arm.

"She hates me," Derek said.

"Not true. I like you," I replied.

"You two remind me of myself and my brother," Boromir said, smiling.

"Really?" I asked, trying to push Derek off of the bench.

"Quit it!" Derek yelled.

"You're too close!"

"That's not my fault!"

"You're pissing me off!"

"Break it up, you two!" Frodo snapped.

"She started it!" Derek said, pointing at me.

"I don't care, I'm finishing it," Frodo replied. I snickered as Derek huffed and crossed his arms. "It's not funny, Tabby."

"Sorry," I said, wiping the grin off my face.

"They've been in there for a long time," Sam commented.

"What were they talking about when they sent you outside?" Kristina asked.

"If I could go back to Middle-earth or not," I replied. "I didn't really realize how much I wanted to go until it was in question."

"Do they believe Gandalf?" Aragorn asked.

"I don't know if they do or not, that might be what they're discussing," I replied.

"You think they'll let you go?" Merry asked.

I shrugged. "I brought up the fact that it'll fall upon one of my cousins or my own future daughters," I responded. "But I don't know if that'll affect their decision or not."

"Well, I hope they let you go," Pippin said.

That comment surprised me. "Really?" I asked.

He nodded, and most of the others nodded in agreement. "You're a good kid," Merry said shrugging.

"You took a heavy responsibility upon your shoulders at such a young age," Aragorn replied.

"So, am I like, accepted by everyone?" I asked.

The members of the fellowship gave me a round of collective nods, but Derek ruined it. "Not by me," he said, raising his hand.

"Shut up you epileptic fart monkey!" I said, putting him in a headlock, and messing up his hair.

"Tab," Kristin said, elbowing me. She pointed to the house.

My dad and Gandalf had emerged from the house. "Congratulations, Tabitha, you're the tenth member of the Fellowship," Gandalf said.

"Yes," I said, turning to Kristina and high-fiving her.

"But, I think the rest of the family deserves to know," my dad said. "So, you mother is calling everyone to come over, so they can know."

My smile fell right off my face. You've gotta be fucking kidding me. My whole family… meeting the Fellowship? Lord help me…


	12. Party Crashers

**To clear up confusion with the family: Alan aka grandpa, son of Lucile. Marla, sister of Alan. Vicky, wife of Alan. Joel, aka Dad, is the oldest son of Alan, Father of Tabby and Derek. Betty aka mom, wife of Joel, Tabby and Derek's Mother. Rhonda, second child of Alan, oldest daughter. Wife of Mike, Mother of Alex and D.J. Mike, Rhonda's husband, step-father of Alex and D.J. Cheryl, third child of Alan, Mother of Breanna and Brandon. Steve, wife of Cheryl, father of Breanna and Brandon. Jeff, forth and youngest child of Alan, father of Devin, Melissa and Jeffery. Mary Berry, mother of Betty, not the same woman at Sugar Shack. Lyle, husband of Mary Berry. Peggy, sister of Betty.**

**Hopefully that helps with the family dynamics in this chapter**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Twelve: Party Crashers_

**-Tabby-**

Kristina was supposed to be sent home shortly afterwards, with the promise that no one would tell her mother, but her mother had called back, informing her that she had to work late because of a meeting. So Kristina was allowed to stay to eat, but then she had to go on home. But dad did send her out to buy some hamburgers and hotdogs with thirty bucks he loaned her. Don't ask me why he trusted her with it, but I think it was more of a ploy to get her out of the way while the family talked. My mom's mother, husband and sister came over as well as my dad's parents, two sisters and brother and their families. We were just waiting for Jeff, the youngest of my dad's siblings to come over.

My mom's family was talking to my mom about who all these extra men were. Cheryl's husband Steve was talking to Boromir about what he did in life, and he wasn't accepting 'Captain of the Guard' as an answer. Their twins, Breanna and Brandon, were interrogating the four hobbits. The twins were dead set on trying to get the hobbits' real ages, not accepting the fact that the hobbits were well past twenty and still the same height as two eight-year-olds. Rhonda and Mike, were keeping to themselves, watching with amusement as Grandma Vicky, my dad's mom, was trying to tell Gandalf all about Grandpa's farm that he had inherited from great-grandma.

Alex, Rhonda's youngest son, was sitting on one of the lawn chair Rhonda brought over, watching his elder brother talking to Aragorn. D.J. was asking Aragorn all about his sword and how much he knew about it. I was surprised that D.J. was going into a nerd-fit. D.J.'s a tall guy, that looked like a football player, but would much rather pop the football and throw the quarterback in front of a bus. Just for a realistic picture of how weird it was to see him nerding out over a sword.

Cheryl was sitting next to me, making sure her kids didn't upset these strange men. Suddenly Cheryl leaned over to me. "The dark haired one with point ears is really cute, is he your boyfriend?" she whispered.

Legolas. She was talking about Legolas, who was sitting right across from us at the picnic table. And with his elven hearing he heard us. And he started laughing.

"CHERYL!" I yelled, flushing. "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"Watch it," Grandpa said, from behind me. "Your cousins are here." And he thumped me on the top of the head with his middle finger nail.

"You never answered my question," Cheryl pointed out.

"NO!" I yelled, laying my head down and covering my face with my arms. Legolas continued to laugh. "I need a drink…"

The crunch of gravel sounded from the driveway and a black truck came up. Jeff with his son and two daughters. Jeff parked his truck and walked over with a confused expression on his face.

"So why are we all here?" Jeff asked, taking a seat on the metal swing that sat on the other side of the patio. Jeffery, his son, sat next to Derek and his daughters, Melissa and Devin, sat next to me.

Great now we're starting. I got up from my seat, and slipped over to the lawn chairs my dad had set out. They were far enough away from everyone. I'm willing to go to Middle-earth in the face of a war with a half days' worth of training, but I refuse to tell my family what's going on.

"Tabby, come up here," my dad said, beckoning me to come up.

Everyone got real quiet as they all looked at me. "Oh, I'm not here, right now," I replied.

"Now," dad said again.

I sighed. "Aye captain," I muttered, getting up. I walked over to where my dad sat in front of everyone. "Gandalf," I whispered, "I'm gonna need your help."

"What do you need me to do?" he asked.

"Prove you're Gandalf again, and I need the book and picture," I replied.

"Do you need the firework show again?" he asked, handing me what I need.

I sighed and looked at everyone. "Maybe the butterflies again," I said. "But wait for me to tell you to do it."

He nodded and stood next to me. "Okay uhm, everyone this is Gandalf," I said, pointing at him. "Not like a nerd for hire or anything, but the legitimate Gandalf." I cleared my throat. "Go ahead Gandalf."

Gandalf tapped his staff on the ground three times and this time a bunch of butterflies flew out of the end of his staff, followed by a giant purple and green one. A butterfly flew out to everyone and fluttered around them and then zipped away with a crackle. The giant butterfly flew overhead and exploded into the sky, and again rained down with different colored sparks, disappearing just above the grass.

"Who still needs proof?" I asked. "Raise your hand, please." No one raised their hand, they all just stared at Gandalf. "Fantastic. Now, this," I pulled out the old Polaroid, "this is a picture of grandpa and Aunt Marla when they were little. But you all should pass this around and look at the upper left hand corner." I handed Steve the picture first. "Just tell me when everyone has seen it."

It took a good fifteen minutes for everyone to look at it as much as they needed to. "What the hell is that?" Jeff asked, handing the picture to me again.

"That is Sauron," I said. "Or the Necromancer, whatever the hell you want to call him."

"Why is he standing behind Marla and Alan?" Grandma Vicky said, suspicious that this was an elaborate prank.

I sighed. "Here," I said, walking over to my grandparents, and handed grandpa the book opened to the front cover. "This is a note that great-grandma left me."

Grandpa read the note quietly to himself and then handed it to my Grandma Vicky to read. "So you have to go back with them?" Grandpa asked me.

I nodded. "I didn't want it to fall onto Devin, Melissa, Breanna, or anyone else," I replied.

"You know this is a dangerous thing to do right?" he asked.

"How do you know?" I asked grandpa.

"I'm rather perceptive," he said, sitting on top of the table. "Ever wonder why you couldn't get away with anything?" Grandpa thumped me on the head again.

"Ow," I muttered, rubbing my head.

"How come you never told anyone?" Cheryl asked, passing the book onto her husband.

"Cause I didn't know when the time would be right," grandpa said.

"So," Steve began. "You'll be fighting, who was it? Sauron?"

"Melkor actually," I replied. "He's the aggressor this time, while Sauron is busy. Melkor is basically an evil god before you ask. Think of Disney Hades."

"So you have to fight in all those-" D.J. began.

"Watch what you say, because they can't know anything about the way the story ends. _They can't know anything,_" I said. "But yes, I'll be fighting."

"That takes balls," D.J. said.

"Well, thanks, I guess," I said.

"Seriously, it does," D.J. said again. "Taking on a god-like entity? That takes _big_ balls."

"Isn't that a song?" Jeffery (Jeff's son, not a junior) asked.

"You're nine, how do you know that?" Derek asked.

"He's Jeff's kid," I replied. "Why are you surprised?"

"Wait, when are you leaving?" Steve asked.

I shrugged. "Apparently, whenever Gandalf thinks I'm ready," I responded.

"So, Gandalf," grandpa said, "When is she going to be ready to go?"

"She just started her training today. If she works as hard as she has been, I feel by the end of the week I would feel comfortable letting her go," Gandalf replied.

"Really?" I asked my stomach flipping.

"Why don't you show us what you learned?" Rhonda asked.

"Uh, no," I replied. "That's not happening."

"Oh come on," Cheryl said. "It'd put grandpa's mind at ease."

"No, no, no," I said. "Not in front of everybody."

"You didn't have a problem earlier," Pippin said.

"Be quiet, Pippin," I muttered.

"Please, please, please?!" Breanna and Brandon pleaded, laughing.

"Why don't you control your monkeys?" I said to Cheryl.

"Let's see, Tabby," Jeff said.

"And you were my favorite uncle, too," I said to him.

Steve laughed. "Let's see, come one," he said.

"Can we eat first?" I whined. "Dad said he'll grill!"

"Alright, but I'm holding you to that," grandpa said, as there was a crunch of gravel, signaling Kristina's return with the meat for grilling.

"Fantastic. I'm kidnapping your kids now," I said, to Cheryl, and picked up the twins, one in each arm and carried them back towards the tree that marked the end of our property. I helped them climb into the tree and told them that they were my monkeys.

**O.o.O**

Everybody stayed until about eight thirty, all talking to the Fellowship. Grandpa knew all along that I would be going to right his mother's wrongs. I didn't know how to feel about that. I don't feel betrayed, but I feel like I've been…I don't know. I was just kinda happy that showing off my training had been put off for a while. At eight thirty everybody started to leave, first my mom's family, then Jeff and his kids. Rhonda and Mike too Alex home, and D.J. followed behind in his own car. Cheryl and Steve stayed for a while, but they too decided to go on home. Eventually Kristina, my grandparents and my immediate family were left.

"I'd like to see some of your training now," grandpa said.

I made a face. I don't want to practice in front of my family. Why it makes me feel embarrassed I don't know, but it does.

"Alright," I sighed. Frodo came over and handed Sting, still in its sheath, to me.

Boromir drew out his sword, as I pulled Sting out of the Sheath I walked over to the area between the patio and the house we had been training. I dropped the sheath on the picnic table as I walked by and my brother gasped.

"What? It's a sword you fart monkey," I said.

"It's blue, wise ass," Derek replied.

"Quit it," dad said, as I looked at the glowing sword.

"Okay, I know Derek's gotta be part orc, but it wasn't glowing before," I said, looking at Aragorn and Gandalf.

Everyone now had drawn their respective swords, but I held onto Sting, like a dumbass, rather than giving it back to Frodo. (Who has had more experience than myself.)

I looked around quickly, looking for some sign of orcs.

"Tabby…" Kristina said, breathlessly. She got up and stood beside me.

"All of you inside," Gandalf said, pointing at my family, Kristina, the hobbits and myself.

Grandpa wrapped his arm around my grandmother and they walked inside, followed by my dad trying to soothe my frantic mother, Derek followed up behind them. Kristina and I were walking with the hobbits inside just a few minutes later, when there was a twang from somewhere behind me, and an arrow was caught in the siding of the house, ahead of us.

I screamed and threw myself onto the grass to cover my head. "Get in the house!" Gandalf yelled, just as a good fifteen-twenty orcs came from the field and bushes around the house.

I watched in horror, as Aragorn and Boromir swung and hit orc after orc that came their way. "Tabby in the house!" Kristina yelled at me through the open door. The four hobbits had already slipped into the house.

"Noo! If I move I'll get hit!" I yelled.

"Tabby, get up!" Frodo yelled, pushing past Kristina and outside to me.

"No, no, no, I don't want to!" I yelled, as he tried to pull me up.

"It's more dangerous out here!" he yelled at me.

Why that hadn't dawned on me before, I don't know, but I allowed Frodo to help me up. But no sooner than we were up, we were back on the ground. We had been tackled by an orc that managed to get past the others.

"Mister Frodo!" Sam yelled, rushing out the door. Frodo picked Sting up from the ground, and stood facing the orc. I gripped Frodo's jacket and pulled him backwards with me.

"Maybe we can make it to the door now," I said, shakily.

I backed into something as Sam ran down to Frodo, facing the orc in front of us. My eyes went wide as I realized this probably wasn't another member of the fellowship or my family.

**Breaking news in the exciting life of the authoress: I am very far ahead in chapter, and before you start all that "update twice a week then!" stuff I will not be continuing writing this during my school semester, so updates will be regularly on Tuesdays from now on. But do not despair about anything! I have several hard classes this coming August that I need to focus on, so by the time classes start I want to have a back log of chapters to last me through until winter break. Winter break will be dedicated to adding to said backlog of chapters. So have no fear! Updates will continue on a regular basis. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, so please tell me what you think of it. **

**Thanks guys, Extinction. **


	13. Sneaky Buggery

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Thirteen: Sneaky Buggery_

**-Tabby-**

I whimpered as I looked up into the hideous face of a large orc. I screamed and the orc grinned, showing his slimly yellow-orange teeth. There was a twang and the orc was his in the head with one of Legolas' arrows. I screamed a second time as the dark blood splattered into my face.

I turned, screaming as the dead orc fell backwards. All I wanted was to get away from the body, and I continued to back up. There was clash and I bumped into someone shorter than me this time. I screamed and turned around to find Frodo, who just had his sword knocked out his hands.

"Frodo!" Merry and Pippin yelled, running out of the house after seeing the orc attack Frodo.

"Get back in the house!" Aragorn bellowed at us, as an orc attacked him.

"Arrgh!" I heard as an orc grabbed onto Frodo, lifting him into the air as he struggled.

I stood dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. Frodo was hitting and kicking the orc that had grabbed him, but to no avail. The orc quickly started moving away, around the back of the house. Sam tried to follow, hitting the orc with his fists after he dropped his sword. The orc carrying Frodo backhanded Sam, knocking him to the ground. Another orc quickly came up and snatched Sam up off the ground and hustled after the first orc.

"Aragorn, help!" I screamed. Another three orcs managed to slip past the small ranks of the fellowship that were fighting.

Merry and Pippin were next to be snatched up, and then the last orc grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me up. I started screaming for someone to help, but if the others would've tried, there was no doubt in my mind that they would've been ganged up on.

I hit and kicked the orc myself, thinking it would help me in anyway, but I just earned a hard shake.

"Tabby!" my mom screamed.

"Mom!" I yelled, trying to reach out to her.

The last three orcs that had picked up Merry, Pippin and I followed the first two around the house. In the alleyway behind the house sat a good sized white truck. A white truck I knew. Cherie's new white truck that her parents had bought her in April for her birthday.

The back passenger door was opened by an orc, just enough for the five orcs to shove each of us into the truck. I was pushed into the truck right behind Pippin, and pushed myself up into a sitting position on the seat. Cherie was in the driver's seat and Gríma was in the passenger seat, I didn't even want to think where Saruman was at. Orcs were climbing into the backseat and Cherie sped off down the alleyway, taking a sharp left turn onto Mill Street, knocking the five of us in the back into each other.

"What the fuck are you doing, Cherie?" I asked her. "This is kidnapping, otherwise known as a FELONY!"

"I'm in it for the money!" Cherie said, grinning and taking a sharp turn onto Park Avenue.

"You dirty little skank," I muttered.

"Watch your tongue!" Gríma snapped turning in his seat to glare at me.

"You slept with him didn't you? I'd put my life on it!" I said, pointing at her.

Gríma drew out a knife. "Wouldn't say that if I were you, you might just lose it," he said, pointing the knife at me.

I closed my mouth with a snap and glared at him. He glared right back for a moment before turning back around.

"You choose now to pick a fight?" Merry hissed at me.

"I'm sorry!" I whispered back.

I leaned back in the seat and sighed trying not to think about what was coming. Suddenly one of the orcs yelled something from the back of the truck, and Gríma turned around to look. I did so too, and saw Kristina's green truck following closely. "Oh no!" I whispered. The hobbits turned around to see. The orcs were starting to shoot at her with their arrows.

"NOO! NOOO! STOP IT!" I screamed at them, but Kristina had started to back off. Then it dawned on me. I checked all my pockets, trying not to make it obvious, but I found my phone in my back pocket. I slipped it out of my pocket, and flipped open the phone.

One really useful thing school taught me was how to text without looking. So I sent Kristina a message saying that I'd text the address to her when we got there. Cherie was too dimwitted to even think about taking the phone from me, and I doubt Gríma knew enough to take it. However I have no doubt that it'll be taken when we get to wherever we're going.

The ride was a rather long one. We had gone past the Mitchellville Cemetery and had gone straight onto the gravel road behind it. My head was full of every last road we had turned onto. First Street, the alleyway behind the house, Mill Street, Park Avenue, Jasper Road, and out last road we turned onto was Cotton Street. As we went I typed the name of each road in a text to Kristina. And forty-five minutes after we had been taken from my home, we pulled into the long driveway of an old farm house surrounded by nothing but trees. As we passed the mail box, I saw the numbers on it. The numbers were old and worn, but I texted five-seven-four, but I couldn't tell if the last number had been a three or an eight. So I texted a three slash eight, and the approximate time of forty-five minutes and then sent it to Kristina.

I made sure the message was sent and my phone vibrated with a reply of 'ok' from Kristina. When that happened, I deleted all the messages from Kristina, to make sure that no one saw it at all. I slowly closed my phone and put it back into my pocket.

In the green-brown yard was an old barn in the far left hand side of the property. The property line was nothing but over grown bushes and trees. And in the very center of the yard stood a humble looking house, still in decent condition. It was a one story house, not much bigger than my own. Oh man, I really hope that no one lives here.

Cherie pulled to a stop just around the back. Gríma turned around in his seat again. "Don't move," he said through clenched teeth. He tried to sound rather intimidating, and in the circumstances, I'd say he managed it pretty well. He got out of the truck and walked inside.

Cherie stretched and got out of the driver's seat to sit on the hood of the truck. "Guys, I got the address and I sent it to Kristina on my phone," I whispered.

"How did you manage to send a message to her without them knowing?" Sam asked.

"Well, I had to learn _something_ at school," I replied.

"But they're probably going to take it from, you know," Frodo said. "They'll know."

I shook my head. "I deleted the messages, they won't know a damn thing," I replied.

Suddenly the door opened up on my side of the truck. Gríma stood there with door open, surrounded by orcs. "Out, all of you," he said.

I timidly slide out of the seat only to have my arms grabbed by an orc behind me. The other four slid out just the same as I had, and were grabbed by an orc as well. Frodo and Sam were led in first, followed by me, then Merry and Pippin. I looked at the scowling orcs on either side of me, sneering and showing their disgusting teeth. I felt like I was doing a perp walk on SVU.

We were marched into the living room that smelled like old people and fruit. This house is definitely lived in. We were stood in front of a pink, floral couch looking straight at Saruman and Gríma. Cherie was perched on top of the bar window that looked into the kitchen, she was grinning at us between the shoulders of the former mentioned.

"Where are we?" Frodo asked.

Before Saruman could tell Frodo to shut up and he's the one that is asking the questions, Cherie chirped up. "My grandparents' house," she was grinning. "But they're in Vegas to renew their vows with an Elvis preacher."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Put your weapons on the table," Saruman said in his deep voice, pointing to the coffee table about four feet in front of us.

"We don't have any," Sam said. "We lost them when your stinkin' orcs grabbed us!"

"Quiet," Saruman hissed.

"Take Tabby's phone," Cherie said, examining her nails.

"My phone is at home," I said. "I don't need to have it by my side every second."

"Lies," she said, jumping from the counter. She walked over to me and held out her hand. "It's in your back pocket."

I made no move to grab it. "Give it to her, Tabby," Pippin whispered.

"Like hell," I replied.

"Well, either you give your phone to me, or I can have one of them get it for me," Cherie said, snottily, pointing to an orc behind me.

I scowled and reached into my pocket and slapped the red phone down into her hand. "Thank you," she said, and walked to Saruman's side, and looking through my messages. There was silence for a few minutes as she continued with Gríma looking over her shoulder.

"No messages from Kristina?" Cherie asked, looking up and quirking an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Not much of a text-er," I said.

"Please, she's your best friend, you must've sent her a message while on the way here and then you deleted the entire conversation," she said, flipping my phone closed.

"Nope," I glared at her.

"Liar!" Cherie yelled at me.

"Well who was stupid enough to not take the phone in the first place?" I asked.

"Put extra guards around the house, and tell me immediately if anything passes by," Saruman said to the orcs behind us. "And I would like to know why you didn't think of that earlier." Saruman turned to Cherie.

"I was driving, Gríma could've done it," Cherie said, pointing at him.

"My lord," Gríma said, taken aback. "I have no knowledge of what a phone is!"

I leaned down. "You know, I almost feel sorry for him," I whispered so all four hobbits could hear, as a small argument ensued. The disagreement was solved with Saruman hitting Gríma over the head.

"And you," Saruman said rounding on me. Awe shit. "What did you say to your friend?"

"Nothing. I told you I didn't send her anything," I snapped.

"Do not lie to me," Saruman said, walking over to me.

"I'm not lying," I said, of course lying.

"What did you tell her?" Saruman asked slowly.

"Go to hell!" I said to him. And surprise, surprise, he slapped me across the face.

I gasped, and held my hand to my stinging cheek.

"How dare you hit a young lady!" Frodo snapped at Saruman. "That was completely uncalled for!"

What came over me, I don't know, but I put a hand on Frodo's shoulder and stepped forward. "You use to be a great Istari." I stepped forward again. "You were Saruman the White, servant of Manwe, and look at how far you've fallen! Slapping a young girl whose half your size!" With every word I slowly stepped closer to Saruman, and he backed away. "When victory is within your grasp you'll find it swept out from beneath you, leaving you utterly powerless."

A shocked and almost horrified look came over Saruman's face, and then rage consumed the terror. He drew back his hand, and I was struck across the face yet again. Only this time he hit me so hard I fell onto the floor with a loud thud.

I put my hand to my face, holding the new welt.

Okay.

Ow.


	14. Interrogations

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Fourteen: Interrogations_

**-Tabby-**

"Tabby!" Frodo said, running to my side and trying to help me up.

Saruman hit me so hard this time that my ears were ringing. "Take them to the cellar," Saruman snapped at Gríma.

I was hauled up by an orc, and walked over to a door down a hallway to the right of the living room. We were shoved down into a dark, cool staircase. The cellar. The door was slammed shut and the lock clicked, meaning that we were now locked down here. I reached out and found the wall and started to feel all around for a light switch, but I couldn't find one. So I reached above my head to feel for a string, but nothing.

"Where is everybody?" I asked, reaching out and touching a hobbit on the shoulder.

"That's me," came Pippin's voice.

"Merry's next to him," said Merry's voice.

"Okay, move down the stairs," I said. "I'm looking for a light switch."

They started to cautiously move down the stairs, and to the floor. At the bottom of the staircase I found what I was looking for, and I flipped the switch. An old light bulb flickered to life, and cast a dim light around. Boxes were piled up all around a large cellar that's walls were made of cinder blocks and a concrete floor.

We stepped onto the floor and I looked around for a few moments. "Tabby, let me look at your face," Frodo said, walking over to me.

"You can currently see my face," I said, turning around to examine the far wall.

"You know what I mean," he said. I sighed. "Go sit on the steps and let me look."

"Yes sir," I muttered, walking back over to sit down on the second to last step.

Frodo held my chin in his hand and examined the right side of my face. The other three gathered around. "I'm sorry, I didn't know this was a party," I said.

"Tabby," Frodo warned.

"Sorry," I said.

Frodo sighed and touched my cheek, causing a flash of pain. "Ow!" I said, flinching.

"That's a good bruise," he said.

I sighed. "Give me my face back," I said, pulling away.

"Tabby," Frodo sighed, sitting next to me. "What possessed you to say those things?"

I shrugged as the other three took a seat on the floor. "Anger for the most part," I said, but then I thought about what I had just said to Saruman. "But I don't know what made me say that last bit. I didn't feel like it was…me, like someone was speaking through me. I don't know."

Everyone was quiet for a while as we sat on the ground, all in our own thoughts. I don't know what was speaking through me, or who, but it was creepy. I felt really powerful when I had said it though, like I was giving Saruman his doom. And I was, however in my own words I would've told him that he ultimately dies at the hands of his servant, but those weren't my words. I don't know whose words those were; I don't even think they could've been my great-grandmother's words.

It almost seemed like my thoughts were radiating over to the hobbits. In the dim light I saw them all trying not to look directly at me, but were casting side-long glances. I didn't like the air in the room. There was the fright of the fact that we were kidnapped, the matter of the One Ring, and the fact that I was probably just possessed by something, that wanted to scare Saruman.

"Tabby," Sam began. "Is Saruman after-"

"Yes," I said interrupting. "He knows a hobbit has it, but he doesn't know who. And more than likely he's going to have us questioned; I presume it'll be individually."

I looked over as Merry took a shaky breath, and Pippin looked away with teary eyes. Sam, was holding his head in his hands, muttering quietly to himself. I gotta be honest I'm pretty damn afraid myself, and thinking how worried my family must be made my throat tighten up. I started to chew on my thumb nails, trying not to start crying.

"That's enough of that, all of you," Frodo said, standing up. "We don't know when they're going to come down and get us, so in the meantime why don't we see if can't find a window?"

The four of us got up and joined Frodo in the removal of boxes. Most boxes weren't very heavy, but some felt like they had bricks in them. When we were just about to give up Frodo told us to move one more stack of boxes at the far left wall. I moved away an old desk that was in front of the stack of boxes and I moved away the top two boxes, to find a square window.

"Jackpot," I said, turning to Frodo and sitting the boxes down.

"Great," he said, pulling the next box off the stack.

Moonlight shone into the cellar, mixing with the dim light cast from the single bulb.

"Now that we found a window, what are we going to do with it?" Merry asked, looking up at the high window.

"See if we can't get it open to escape," Frodo said.

"Mister Frodo, how are we going to manage that?" Sam asked. "There's orcs crawling all over the yard."

"He's right," I said. "What are we gonna do? Hoist you up, you put the Ring on, get to the brush, throw it back and pray it doesn't land in front of an orc?"

Frodo put out a hand. "It was an idea, we don't even know if it opens up yet," he said. "Things can still happen to draw an orc's attention away from his duties. Tabby, could you please try and open the window for me?"

"Alright," I sighed, getting up on the old desk, to reach the latches that were on the top of the window. I first tried to push the window out, and then pull it in, but the pane wouldn't budge. I turned the latches to the right, and tried again, both ways.

The window moved just enough to make a noise, to tell me that it had been painted shut. "Won't move," I said. "It's been painted shut."

"We'll have to break it if we want any chance of escape," Frodo said, sighing and putting his hands on his hips.

"How are we going to manage that?" Pippin asked. "They'll hear it."

"Make Saruman raging mad, and break it while he's screaming?" I offered.

"Though wizards are quick to anger, I don't think it is Saruman's character to scream or yell at anyone," Frodo said.

I got off the desk and crossed my arms over my stomach. "Then what can we do?" I asked.

"Is there any way you can reason with Cherie, get her to help us?" Frodo asked.

I snorted. "She's always been beyond reason," I said. "If this is what she wants to do and she's getting some sort of payment from it, she's going to go through with it."

"We'll think of something," Frodo said. "Now, it's getting late. Let's try and get some sleep, there was a box labeled with something called sleeping bags. I assume it's similar to a bedroll."

I nodded. We found the box that Frodo had been talking about, and dug through it. It was a tall box, which stopped just below my chest. We pulled out three sleeping bags and a couple pillows. We laid out a first sleeping bag in the ground for a little more comfort on the concrete. We laid down the pillows and curled up to go to sleep. I shared a blanket with Merry and Pippin, and Frodo and Sam shared the smaller sleeping bag. I could tell that Frodo wasn't planning on getting much sleep, and I couldn't fall asleep right away either.

I'm not sure what time I ended up falling asleep, all I know is I woke up to the cellar door banging open against the wall. The dawn's light was streaming in through the window, and the old light bulb had burned out overnight. I wasn't the only one who had been woken up, Merry and Pippin sat up, bleary eyed and drowsy. Frodo and Sam seemed like that had already been up for a while.

Cherie and Gríma came down the cellar steps, as Merry and Pippin shook themselves awake. "The youngest first please," Gríma said. I looked at the hobbits as I slowly got up. "Of the hobbits."

Pippin looked at Frodo, asking him what he should do. "Go on," Frodo whispered.

Pippin took a deep breath and slowly got up. I watched as Gríma grabbed his arm and led him up the cellar stairs. Cherie smiled happily at us and walked away. Pippin looked back at us as they passed out the doorway and into the hallway. "What do you think's going to happen?" I whispered to Frodo.

"I don't know," he replied.

There was no doubt that Saruman was questioning Pippin over the Ring, and as loyal as he is to Frodo, he never said a word about it. Pippin seemed to remain quiet against Saruman's questioning. But I was trying not to listen. I heard no yelling or screaming or anything for that matter, and it really scared me.

"Merry," Frodo said, suddenly. He and Sam were over by the window, and Merry sat by me, still on the blankets. "They'll come for you next. I want you to make a distraction. Get someone angry, make them start yelling."

"Are you going to break the window?" Merry asked.

"Tabby is," Frodo said, pointing at me.

"What? Why me?" I asked.

"You're the only one tall enough to reach the window," he replied. "Can you do that, Merry?"

"Yeah," Merry said, nodding and sighing.

"Come on let's find something big and heavy."

We looked around for about an hour before we found an old lamp that looked busted anyway. So we decided we'd use the lamp. Another hour wasted away before Gríma came back down. Pippin didn't come back down, but he took Merry with him.

"What have they done with Mister Pippin?" Sam asked when Merry and Gríma disappeared up the stairs.

"I don't know, but I don't think they've hurt him," Frodo said. "Tabby come on, get ready to break the window."

I nodded and took the lamp shade off, and unscrewed the light bulb. We waited for several long minutes. I hoped Merry would follow through sooner rather than later. Soon, Merry started a yelling match. "I'll never tell you!" Merry screamed at the wizard.

"Tabby, come on," Frodo hissed at me.

"Okay, back up," I said, climbing onto the old desk, and aimed the lamp, waiting for Merry to start yelling again. And when he did I swung the lamp as hard as I could into the window. The window shattered, scattering glass all over the floor. I broke the extra shards of glass off the pane with the bottom of the lamp, and jumped down.

"What's your game, Frodo?" I asked. "How are going to get out?"

Frodo climbed up on the desk himself and looked out the window. "It looks like rain," he said. "We'll wait until all five of us are back down here. Then we'll see if we can't slip out."

The day wore on with Sam being taken up, and no sign of Merry or Pippin.

"Tabby," Frodo said, sitting next to me on the blankets again. "I've got to tell you something."

"What's that?" I asked.

"And I'm telling you this, because I really think that Saruman is going to be the hardest on you. He'll think he can break you fast and easy," Frodo said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I don't have the Ring," he said.

"What do you mean you don't-" I started to yell, but Frodo put his hand over my mouth.

"Be quiet," he hissed, but the door to the cellar opened, and Gríma came back down.

"Last hobbit," Gríma said.

Frodo got up, but I caught his arm. "What do you mean you don't have the Ring?" I hissed quietly. "Do you seriously not have it?"

"I really don't," he replied.

"Who does then?" I asked.

"Come on!" Gríma snapped.

"Kristina," he whispered, walking to the stairs as Gríma roughly grabbed his jacket.

They went up the stairs leaving me alone in the cellar. I sighed and got to my feet. "Why would he give Kristina the Ring?" I whispered to myself. I walked over to the window and looked out. The sky was overcast, but it didn't look like rain. "And why would she follow us, knowing she had it?"

Then it dawned on me. "She didn't know," I whispered. "Frodo slipped it into her pocket when he came outside to get me. He had a suspicion they'd come after us. But he didn't tell anyone else…"

I sighed and paced the whole cellar thinking why he would tell me.

Finally, my turn came. Gríma came down to get me. When we got up to the living room I saw the reason why they hadn't returned the others to the cellar. They were using them as leverage. An orc held onto each one, with a knife to their throats.

"I suppose you know why you're up here," Saruman said.

"Yes," I replied. "And I don't know where it is."

"I don't need to know where it is, but who has it," Saruman said. "Don't lie to me."

"Go to hell," I said.

Saruman walked over to me. "You really ought to use kind words," he said.

"You're right, I'm sorry," I said. "Fuck you!"

"That's not very nice either," he said, drawing back his hand, and I flinched. Saruman smirked and turned away from me. "If you don't tell me, I'll make sure every last finger on his hands is cut off." Saruman pointed to Pippin.

The orc grabbed Pippin's hand, preparing to cut off his left pinky. Pippin's faced scrunched up, preparing for a great amount of pain.

"You don't have to do that," I said. "Let them go."

"I'll let them go when you tell me which one of them has the Ring," Saruman replied.

I looked at all the faces of the hobbits. Merry and Pippin were shaking their heads, while Sam was glaring at me, waiting to see what I was going to do. Frodo was watching me, almost with an encouraging look on his face.

"Time is wasting away," Saruman said. The orcs tightened their grips and lifted their swords to the hobbits' necks.

I sighed, and closed my eyes. "Don't tell him anything!" Sam yelled at me.

"Silence!" Saruman yelled.

"M-merry had the Ring," I lied. Shock was obvious on all four of the hobbits' faces. But Frodo had the least amount on his face. Saruman grinned, and turned to Merry. "But he doesn't have it anymore."

"Then where is it?" Saruman asked, turning back to me and glaring.

"He-he gave it to me, and I gave it to Gandalf," I said.

"You're lying," Saruman said, walking closer to me.

"I'm not," I said. "It's the truth!"

"Take the other four back down to the cellar," Saruman said, shooing the orcs along. He turned back to me. "Stop playing your games."

"But they're so much fun," I said.

Saruman glared daggers at me, and came forward.


	15. The Prisoners! They're Escaping!

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Fifteen: The Prisoners! They're Escaping!_

**-Tabby-**

The cellar door was slammed closed, and now I was left alone with Saruman and his orcs. "Who has the Ring?" he asked.

"I already told you, it was given to Gandalf!" I said.

"By whom?" Saruman asked.

"By Merry, I told you!" I said again.

"Ah, but wasn't it given to you, and you gave it to Gandalf?" Saruman asked.

"Oh shit," I whispered, closing my eyes.

"Lying ill becomes a lady such as yourself," he said.

"Awe you think I'm a lady?" I said, batting my eyes.

"Only just," he said and I glared at him. "Come, tell me, who really has the Ring?"

"I already told you! Gandalf does!" I said.

"You're lying again," he replied.

"No I'm not!" I yelled.

Saruman turned around to one of his orc leaders and whispered something to him, then Saruman took a seat and the orc leader grinned. I watched warily as the orc said something in his own tongue and the orcs surrounded in a circle. "What are you doing?" I asked, turning to try at look at all the orcs at once. I counted five that had surrounded me.

I didn't want to wait to find out, so I aimed a kick at the leader the orc right where the sun doesn't shine. The orc jumped in surprise, but it didn't seem to faze him much. He however did get very angry, and I earned a punch to the face. I fell backwards into another orc. The orc that I had fallen into pushed me forward and into another orc. That orc in turn pushed me towards another and then another. I was starting to get motion sick, and the pushing and shoving wouldn't stop. That is until one orc stepped aside and let me trip over his feet and fall to the ground.

I groaned and tried to get up, but the leader orc stood over me and aimed a kick into my ribs. I whimpered as was pushed over with the force and I held onto my ribs in pain, biting back the urge to cry.

Another kick came quickly, and I curled up in a ball trying to protect my face and head. I closed my eyes and tried wait everything out, but I just kept getting kicked and punched and kicked again. Finally Saruman barked out an order to stop the beating. The orcs backed away, and I slowly got onto all fours. Blood was starting to pool in my mouth and I spit it out onto the carpet.

I shuddered, tasting the fresh metal taste of blood. A pair of white boots appeared in my vision and I looked up.

"I hope my creatures have made you seen the err of lying to your elder," Saruman said, with a look of amusement on his face.

"You're just as twisted and perverted as Morgoth," I said, grimacing as my ribs ached.

"Who has the Ring?" Saruman asked again, looking down at me. His amusement was gone, and was replaced with annoyance.

"Fuck you," I said, and I spit onto his feet, spattering blood all over his white boots.

"You repulsive little urchin!" Saruman roared, and he aimed a hard kick to my face. I yelped and fell over again, holding my face. "Take her back!"

I groaned as an orc grabbed me by my shirt and hauled me onto my feet. I was forced back over to the cellar door and shoved down a few stairs and the door was slammed shut behind me. The hobbits were sitting on the floor next to the blanket mess we had created.

"Tabby!" Frodo said, getting up and rushing to the stairs. I leaned against the wall, feeling very woozy. "Are you alright?" he asked.

I swallowed the blood that had been welling up in my mouth anew, thanks to Saruman's kick. But I swallowed something hard as I did so. "I think I swallowed a tooth," I said, removing my hands from my face.

"Oh, you're bleeding," Frodo said. "Come on, let's get you sat down." He grabbed my arm and helped me down the stairs.

I sat down on the second to last step as Frodo stood in front of me and examined my face. "What did you say to make him to do that to you?" Merry asked, examining my face.

"Wouldn't tell him where the Ring was," I replied

"Why did you tell him I had the Ring?" he asked, sitting down next to me, as Frodo took out a handkerchief and began to dab the blood on my face.

"Do you trust me Merry?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"Then promise me you won't ask me why again," I said, grimacing as Frodo touched a cut on my eyebrow I hadn't noticed. "How bad do I look?" I asked.

"You've got a scratch on your eyebrow, a bleeding lip, and bloodied nose," Frodo replied. "Here, hold this over your nose."

I took the handkerchief from him and folded it up to hold over my nose. I grimaced again as my nose was shot with pain. "Ooh, and you're missing a tooth," Pippin said.

"Yeah, I just swallowed it," I replied, running my tongue over my teeth. The right incisor beside my two front teeth was gone. "That's just fucking great."

"Tabby!" Frodo snapped.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, holding my nose and lifting my head up.

"Saruman surely didn't do all this to you," Sam said.

"The orcs did most of it, but Saruman's the one who kicked my tooth out," I replied.

"What did you say?" Frodo asked.

"I told him to fuck off and spat on his boots," I replied.

He shook his head and sighed. "We aren't staying here much longer. Not after this, we can't wait for the others any longer," Frodo sighed.

"How are we going to get out of here with all the orcs out there?" I asked.

Frodo sighed again, and walked over to the window to look out. "There aren't many orcs on this side of the house," he said, but his voice was drowned out by the screeching of tires.

"What the hell?" I said, getting up and going over to the window.

"What is it?" Sam asked, as he and the other two rushed over.

"It's Kristina!" I said, as Kristina swerved into a couple orcs, running them over and then screeched to a halt. Out of the back of the truck everyone jumped out aside from Gandalf who was in the passenger seat. Swords were drawn, axes thrown and a bow knocked.

There was a loud yell from above, orders barked and running feet.

"Tabby!" Kristina yelled, getting out of the truck and to Gandalf's side. "Tabby!" she yelled again.

"Down here!" I yelled sticking my arm out and waving. "Kristina!"

Kristina saw my waving arm and ran over. "Help us out!" I said. "Sam, you first get on the desk!"

"But I can't reach the window, even on the desk!" he said.

"I'll give you all a boost up, just hurry before they remember us!" I snapped.

"Alright, Miss," he said, clamoring up.

"Take my hands," Kristina said, sticking them through the window. Sam did as she asked and I laced my fingers together.

"Step into my hands and we'll hoist you out," I said.

Sam didn't look too happy about it, but he did as we asked. He put one foot in my hands, one on the wall and Kristina pulled him out as I pushed him up. It was a bit of a squeeze but we got him out. "Merry next!" I said.

We did this another two times, before it was Frodo's turn. "You go on out, Tabby," Frodo said. "I'll go last."

"You won't be able to reach," I said, I can reach the window just fine on my own. "Go."

Before Frodo could argue there came another order barked. "Get them out of the cellar before they escape!" Saruman yelled, there was a thump and a muffled reply.

"Go!" I hissed at Frodo, and he finally did so.

We hoisted Frodo out and then it was my turn. I climbed up on the desk as the cellar door opened and footsteps came down the stairs. "They're escaping!" came Gríma's voice.

"Hurry!" I hissed at Kristina.

She pulled me halfway out before my ankle was grabbed. I screamed, sliding back a little. "Help me!" Kristina yelled, as Merry grabbed onto my left arm, and Pippin my right. Frodo and Sam grabbed Kristina around the waist and pulled.

It was a tug of war. "Let go of me you creep!" I yelled at Gríma.

"You're not getting away that easy," he yelled, as I tried to kick at him with my free foot.

I must've got him, because he yelped and loosened his grip. The five of them pulled me out now with little resistance. I came flying out the window, and we all landed in a heap on the ground.

"Ugh," I groaned and got to my feet, and helping the others up as well.

"They're out!" Aragorn yelled.

"Hurry! Get to the truck!" Kristina said, and we took off towards the truck, about thirty feet away.

Just as we all made it to the truck, with significantly less orcs around I heard a yell from behind me. "Tabitha!" yelled Cherie.

"Awe shit!" I said, as Kristina ran around to the driver's side. Aragorn was hoisting the hobbits up and Boromir was setting them inside the truck bed. Legolas and Gimli were already in the truck bed, shooting at orcs, or hitting them in the face with a well thrown axe. I was coming around to climb into the truck bed when I was tackled.

Cherie plowed into me, knocking me over and causing me to hit my head against the truck. "You're going to cost me my money, you bitch!" she yelled at me, aiming a punch to my face.

My head ached, and my vision was blurred momentarily, but I managed to grab her wrist and twist it. "Get off!" I yelled, twisting even further.

"Ow!" she howled getting off. I let go of her, and punched her in the face for good measure, and Aragorn helped me into the truck, getting in himself.

Boromir beat on the top of the cab, and Kristina took off, going around the house and onto the road again, going back the way we had come.

"I really can't catch a break today," I said, holding my head and slumping down against the side of the truck. As the wind blew all around my hair started sticking to the still drying blood on my face and head.

"You're lucky nothing's broken," Pippin muttered from beside me.

"What happened to you, lass?" Gimli asked.

"Saruman happened," I replied, running my tongue over the spot where my incisor should be. "I wouldn't tell him the truth about the Ring, so he had his orcs kick the shit out of me. Then he kicked out my tooth." I smiled, showing them the missing tooth.

"Saruman kicked you?" Legolas asked. "That doesn't seem like something in his character."

"Well, you haven't seen Gríma," I said. "Plus I don't think it helped when I spit blood onto his boots and told him to fuck off."

"Why would you do that?" Aragorn asked, making a face of disgust.

"The man needs to be taken down a few pegs," I replied, rubbing my head where I had hit it on the truck.

"Tabby, can you see straight?" Aragorn asked me, watching me rub the side of my head.

"Yeah, I can see just fine," I replied, looking ahead at all the dirt the truck was kicking up.

But far behind in the haze of the dirt came another truck, a white truck. "Shit," I said. "They're following." I turned and banged on the window. "Pick up the pace Kristina!"

I looked in the window as Kristina looked back and sped up. The white truck was gaining. I looked all around us, to see if there was a place we could swerve off and lose them. There wasn't a place where we could get off the road, but there were train tracks coming up ahead, and I could hear a whistle. I looked all around, looking for the train. It was coming from the east, and it was coming fast. Kristina had seen it and was beginning to slow down.

I crawled over to the driver's side and beat on the car door. "What are you doing?!" Boromir yelled at me.

"Kristina!" I yelled. "Drive faster! You can beat the train!"

"Are you insane!" she yelled at me through the open window.

"It's either you beat the train, or they catch up!" I yelled in reply.

"If I die, you stay away from my funeral!" she screamed, and sped up really quickly.

The white truck was gaining, and the whistle was getting louder. I squeezed my eyes shut as the train blew a loud, long whistle. There were four shudders of the truck, bouncing everyone up and down. I opened my eyes, just as we cleared the tracks, and the train sped across the road.

I breathed deep. "Oh my god, I thought we'd get hit for sure," I said. Kristina slowed way down, but continued on.

"Are you alright?!" I yelled at her.

"You're insane, but I love you!" she replied.

I laughed and leaned back again. We made it back into Mitchellville without seeing the white truck again. I was nearly asleep when I hear the familiar crunch of gravel and saw that we were pulling into the driveway of my home. Kristina parked the truck in the empty driveway, and we all got out.

"Where's my parents?" I said to myself, looking about.

"I sent your entire family away," Gandalf said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "They all went on a vacation. I wanted them out of the way, to be safe. I told them all not to come back for a month or even two."

"All of them?" I asked.

"Your aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone," he replied.

"And I convinced my mom to go see her boyfriend in Missouri," Kristina said. "After you leave, I'm going up to my dad's for a while. Oh and by the way, here Frodo." Kristina held out the One Ring to him. "I honestly don't know how you managed to get it in my pocket without me noticing."

"I'm a hobbit, Kristina," Frodo replied.

"When are we leaving?" I asked Gandalf, now that the Ring was back to its proper owner.

"Tonight, after you're packed," he replied.

"Oh," I said. "I kind of wanted to say goodbye to everyone."

"There isn't time now," he said.

I sighed. "Alright."

"Go clean up and pack some things to take," Gandalf said.

"But how are we getting back?" I asked.

"Don't worry about that, when you're done, everything will be ready," he replied.

"Help me pack?" I asked Kristina.

She nodded, and the two of us turned to go inside. "Are you missing a tooth?" she asked.


	16. Arrows Suck

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Sixteen: Arrows Fucking Suck_

**-Tabby-**

The first thing I did when Kristina and I walked in was shower. I wanted to get the dirt out of my hair, and the dried blood off of my face. I felt much better after I was done. I put on a pair of jeans, the only pair that fit my decently, then I pulled on a camisole and a green long sleeved t-shirt. The t-shirt was thin, but it could also keep me warm enough. Kristina came down the stairs, holding a large backpack.

"I used to use this to go over to my dad's house for a week at a time," she said, handing it to me.

"Don't you need it to go up there tonight?" I asked.

"I've left enough clothes over there that I can go for three months without wearing the same outfit twice," she replied.

I smiled. "Thanks," I said.

"Don't start that bittersweet shit right now," Kristina said. "Gandalf is giving you two hours."

"Alright then, help my find my good sweatshirt," I replied. "It's black and says South Pole on it."

"South Pole?" Kristina asked, beginning to pull out clothes out of the hamper.

"It's a brand, D.J. gave it to me last year for Christmas," I replied. "Granted it's a hand-me-down, but it's really warm."

Once that was found, I folded it up and set it aside. I have a feeling I'll be needing it sooner rather than later.

"Better take another outfit," Kristina said. "You never know when you'll need to change."

I nodded. "Problem is I'm already wearing the only pair of jeans that fit," I replied.

"Tabby, you'll be walking over all of Middle-earth, don't tell me you aren't going to lose weight," she said.

I sighed. "I guess you're right." I dug out a second pair of jeans, folded them and put them in the large backpack. I dug through the clothes and pulled out a short-sleeved shirt this time, this one black with David Bowie's face on it from the Labyrinth.

I the only things in the bag now were the second shirt, jeans, and the sweatshirt. "Not much in there," I said, sighing.

"I've got some presents for you," Kristina said, leading the way up the stairs. She showed me four bags that sat on the kitchen table. "I bought some of these the other night, when your dad sent me out to get the hamburgers."

She handed me two target bags. I looked in the lighter one, to find a water bottle in there. A camelback to be exact. (It holds twelve ounces of water, and has a tip that won't spill, it's also called a bite and suck.) The second and third things in the bag were a brush, and a new package of hair ties. The last two things were deodorant and a bottle of perfume.

"Apparently you want me to smell nice," I said, unzipping the smaller part of the bag, to put these items in there.

"Well, you never know when you could meet someone," she replied, winking.

I stared at her. "You're nuts," I replied.

"Open the next Target bag," she said, excitedly.

I smiled and pulled out the only item in that bag. It was a small, purple sleeping bag. "It's just your size," she said. "I wanted something light, but something that would fit you. It's supposed to be really warm. Plus it'll fit in the bag! Now you open the other two bags while I put this in here." Kristina took my bag from me, as I pulled over the last two sacks from Dollar General.

I pulled out four bags of trail mix and four payday bars out of the first bag. The second bag had seven packages of cracker and peanut butter sandwiches, five bags of beef jerky, two bags of sunflower seeds, and a bottle of ibuprofen. "I bought those today, before we came to rescue you. You needed some food," she said.

"You really are the best friend," I said, reaching over and giving her a hug.

"I'm gonna miss you," she said.

"I'm gonna miss you too," I replied, tearing up.

"Alright, let's get all of this in your bag. I'll wash out the water bottle and fill it up," she said, getting up.

When I finished putting the food into the bag, I zipped up the bag real tight and got up. I walked into the living room, to find Gandalf there.

"Finished packing?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm just taking one last look around," I replied.

I walked into my room and looked around. My laptop, iPod, books, everything. I sighed and took out a piece of paper from my notebook and wrote a letter to my family.

I left everything to my brother, my cousins, and my parents. I told them that I was going to think of them every single day, and that I'll miss them. I was crying by the time I finished the letter, and I took a piece of tape, and hung it up on my door.

I walked back into the living room and plopped onto the couch, next to Gandalf. The door opened, and the rest of the Fellowship walked in. "Kristina," Aragorn said. "I think you ought to go on home. They'll be coming back here first."

Kristina nodded and set the bag on the couch, and I got up. I gave her one last hug goodbye. "I'll miss you," I said.

"I'll miss you too," she said.

"Be safe getting to your dad's," I said.

"Be safe in general," Kristina replied.

"If I'm able to come home, you'll be the first person I get a hold of," I said.

Kristina laughed, and I walked her to the door. After one last goodbye, I wiped my eyes and walked back into the living room.

"So exactly how are we getting there?" I asked Gandalf, as I heard a door slam and the crunch of gravel.

"We just step through there," Gandalf said, gesturing to the TV. "It's how we got here and how we're getting back." The TV was black, but there was the sound of birds chirping, and of bugs humming. "Shall we go?" Gandalf asked.

I nodded, and shouldered my bag. It was now a little heavier, but I wasn't exactly comforted by that fact. "Legolas, you first, then Gimli, then Frodo, Sam Merry and Pippin," Gandalf said. "Then Tabitha, Boromir, Aragorn, and finally myself."

Legolas was the first up. He put his hand through the TV screen, there was a bright light, and Legolas was gone. Next up was Gimli, the same happened, and he was gone. But as Frodo stepped up to go through, there was another slam of a car door. I looked out the open window, and there was Cherie's truck sitting in the driveway, with orcs jumping out of the bed of the truck, and Saruman and Gríma getting out of the cab.

"They're here," I said, and there was a bang on the door.

"Quickly," Gandalf said, ushering the four hobbits through.

"Tabby, hurry, you next," Gandalf said, as Aragorn and Boromir drew their blades.

I backed away from the window, and turned to the TV. But as I stepped up to the TV there was a twang from the open window. I put my hand through the TV and I was surrounded by bright light, and I felt a stab of pain in my left side. I told myself that this was just a side effect of the transition into Middle-earth. But once my vision cleared, the pain did not cease. I whimpered and put my hand to my side and pulled it away. There was blood. Not a whole lot, but too much blood for this to just be a scratch.

"Oh, fuck," I said, stumbling a couple paces, and throwing my bag on the ground.

"Tabby, what's wrong?" Frodo asked. He was a few feet away from me.

"I think I've been shot," I replied, holding my side. There were another three flashes of light as Frodo helped sit down.

"Tabby's been shot!" Frodo yelled to Aragorn, who had just gotten back, and was hurrying over.


	17. Caradhras the Cruel

**Gonna be honest: I hate this chapter. It's a long filler chapter that's far too bookish. But I had to get Caradhras out of the fucking way, and I wasn't going to spend more than one chapter on it. So please, please, please bear with me! It's gonna be better when we get to Lothlorien, I swear to the giant Gummy Bear in the sky! So please bear with me, and drop me a review!**

**Also: I've decided Monday's are best to update with my school and work schedule. Bring a little sunshine to your Monday. Maybe… anyways, drop me a review, please. **

**This comes from **_**The Fellowship of the Ring, Book II, Chapter III The Ring Goes South. **_

**K, bye.**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Seventeen: Caradhras the Cruel _

**-Tabby-**

I grimaced as Aragorn now finished bandaging the wound up. The arrow had cut me, though it wasn't too deep. It was deep enough to bleed more than I wanted, but not deep enough to do serious damage. Aragorn had told me I was very lucky that it just swiped me.

"I hate orcs," I said, as Aragorn finished the bandaging and I put my shirt down.

"You're very lucky," Aragorn said. "It doesn't seem to be poisoned. But you should eat and then try going to sleep."

"How can I go sleep thinking that I could still die of a slow acting poison?" I asked.

"Well-" he began.

"That was rhetorical, I'll stay awake until I either pass out from sleep or the poison," I said.

"Suit yourself then," Aragorn said, "Let's get you over to the fire." He offered me his hand and helped me up.

I groaned as I got up, feeling the sharp sting as I moved the wound. I walked over to where Pippin had set my pack, and slowly sat down in between him and Merry. (Aragorn had told me to lie down right where I had fallen to keep from disturbing the open wound any further.) I started to dig into my pack and found the bottle of ibuprofen Kristina had bought for me. I opened the cap, poked a hole in the foil cover and dumped out a handful of pills.

"What's that?" Pippin asked.

"Painkillers," I replied, popping four of them into my mouth. I dry swallowed the pills as I capped the bottle and took a big swig out of my water bottle.

Now that I was done having my wound poked and prodded, I finally got a good look around. We were in a deep hallow and shrouded by great bushes of holly. Sam was cooking a meal of various kinds of sausage. My stomach growled as the scent of the cooking meat met my nose. I looked up at the sky through the bushes and saw a pale grey light that was slowly lighting to the dawn. I noticed that there was a crisp chill in the air. It was enough to make me uncomfortable in the cold, but someone who's live in Iowa her whole life, it really wasn't much. At least compared to the next leg of our journey.

"When are we starting off?" I asked, as Sam handed me a plate of meat.

"Tomorrow evening," Gandalf replied. "Once your wound has healed enough."

I made a face. "But I'll be fine," I said.

"Don't argue," Pippin whispered to me. "I'd rather stay here for a while. Get used to the idea of being back in the wild."

I sighed and agreed, then started in on my plate of food. The sausages were greasy and spicy, but they tasted good, and it was nice to have hot food in me. We talked and laughed for a while, but soon Aragorn got up and walked under the shade of a tree. He was looking around and had his head posed as if he was listening.

"What's wrong, Aragorn?" I asked. I'm pretty sure there are no attacks tonight so I don't think there's anything to worry about.

"Do you miss the East Wind?" Merry asked.

"I miss something," Aragorn said. "I have been in the country of Hollin in many seasons. No folk dwell here now, but many other creatures live here at all times, especially birds. Yet not all things but you are silent. I can feel it. There is no sound for miles about us, and your voices seem to make the ground echo. I do not understand it."

"Couldn't just be us then?" I asked. "If no one dwells here, couldn't we just be disturbing the creatures?"

"I hope that is it," Aragorn answered. "But I have a sense of watchfulness, and of fear, that I have never had here before."

"Then we must be more careful," said Gandalf. "If you bring a Ranger with you, it is well to pay attention to him, especially if the Ranger is Aragorn. We must stop talking aloud, rest quietly and set the watch."

It was Sam's turn to take a watch, and Aragorn joined him. I laid out the small sleeping bag Kristina had bought me and crawled into it, and buried my head under the blanket to hide from the sunlight so I can sleep. I was out like a light, and I dreamed.

_I was alone in the dark. It was those faces again. The faces of orcs swirled around in my vision with sneering faces and ugly grins. Then came a figure. A shadowed figure stood on the edge of my vision, slowly coming forward. The figure was impossibly tall and had a very muscular build, by the looks of the outlined torso. I ignored the faces of the orcs, and focused on the one figure coming towards me. Soon I could see the contours of the face, and it came into the light. The same pointed face, with perfect skin and teeth. He was a beautiful man, and I hated to admit that. _

"_Who are you?" I asked, but my voice fell at only a whisper. _

"_Do you not know?" he asked. _

"_Sauron?" I questioned. _

_He laughed. "No. He is busy elsewhere," he replied. _

"_Morgoth," I whispered. _

_He grinned at me. "Yes. Yes, I am."_

"_What do you want with me?" I asked. "Right now, what do you want?"_

"_Came to see what we were up against, who you are, what you look like," he replied, looking me up and down. "Doesn't look like much." I glared at him. "You are small. Short, rather thin, not much muscle on you." _

"_You don't know anything about me," I said. _

"_On the contrary," he said. "You are Lucile's great-granddaughter. You look something like her, you act like her. You are no match for myself and my apprentice. You are nothing."_

_He started to walk away from me, as my eyes started to well up. This was going to be a lot harder than I thought._

I was being shaken awake. I opened my eyes and looked up into Boromir's face.

"What's wrong?" I said, sitting up and pushing my hair out of my face. I heard Pippin complaining about leaving sooner than we had planned.

"We are leaving soon, start packing up," Boromir said.

I yawned and nodded. I crawled out of the sleeping bag and started to roll it up and stuffing it into my pack. At dusk we planned to set out again, and it was quickly gathering. It was getting colder now that night was gathering. I pulled out my sweatshirt and put it on. I might as well have it out since we'll be heading into the mountains soon. Everyone had to carry their own packs as the pony the fellowship had was now gone. Aragorn reassured Sam that Bill the Pony had probably found his way back to Rivendell while they were away.

We were guided by Aragorn, and we struck a good path. It looked to me like an old ancient road that looked like it had once been well traveled. The moon was full and was slowly rising over us as the stars twinkled into view. The moon cast a pale light enough to see by. Boulders lay strewn along the path with tall trees all around us. We trudged on in silence, and for myself, in slight pain.

Aragorn led the way with Gandalf following very close behind and Frodo with Gandalf. Naturally Sam was behind Frodo, walking beside Gimli. Boromir walked with myself, Merry and Pippin. Legolas brought up the rear with his keen eyes looking behind. Every so often I would open up the pill bottle, and take some pain killers. But the cold wind was dulling the pain enough that my side was bearable for a good portion, either that or the painkillers were doing a hell of a job. But my feet were bothering more so than my wound.

"My feet hurt," I said quietly to Pippin, who yawned in reply.

"Mine too," Merry said.

"I'm tired," Pippin said.

"This cold is keeping me wide awake," I said, wiggling my toes in my shoes. My toes were frozen, but not frozen enough to be painfully numb. However, I would rather have numb feet than aching feet.

In the early hours of the morning, just before the first stir of dawn something passed overhead. I was looking up at the sky, begging the dawn to come so I could sit down, even for a little while, and I saw a great shadow pass overhead. The stars blinked out and then came back. I stared up at the sky a moment longer before I heard Gandalf.

"No, but I felt it, whatever it was," Gandalf said, in answer to Frodo. "It may be nothing but a wisp of cloud."

"It was moving fast, and against the wind," Aragorn replied, and I shivered.

Nothing further happened the night. The next morning dawned brighter and colder than before. Another two nights came and went as we climbed into the hills of the country. We seemed to be going so much more slowly, and my mind kept drifting back to hot food. We lit no more fires, and I kept constantly thinking about a meal of three Big Macs and a large bucket of fries from McDonalds. On the third morning a large mountain rose above us, a tall peak tipped with silver snow. The naked sides were a dull red in the sunrise, that looked like they were stained with red. The mountain was unmistakable: Caradhras. Gandalf called a halt, and we all sat down.

I threw myself on the ground and pulled out some of the left over beef jerky from my pack. I handed Pippin and Merry a piece each and the three of us sat waiting as Sam dug around for something for breakfast-supper.

"Tabby, where are we going now?" Merry asked me.

I looked up at the mountain that loomed darkly (in my opinion) before us. Merry followed my gaze and made a face. "Are we really climbing that?" Pippin whispered to me.

I nodded solemnly. "We gonna freeze," I said.

Pippin groaned and flopped backwards onto the ground.

"What's wrong with him?" Boromir asked, sitting down next to him.

"I told him he was too short to go up the mountain," I replied, biting into my piece of beef jerky.

"You make it sound as if I'm excited," Pippin muttered.

I chuckled a bit and finished off the piece in my hand. In the late afternoon we were about to start off again.

"From sign that we have seen lately," said Gandalf, "I fear that the Redhorn Gate may be watched; and also I have doubts of the weather that is coming up behind. Snow may come. We must go with all the speed that we can. Even so it will take us more than two marches before we reach the top of the pass. Dark will come early this evening. We must leave as soon as you can get ready."

"I will add a word of advice, if I may," said Boromir. "I was born under the shadow of the White Mountains and know something of journeys in the high places. We shall meet bitter cold, if no worse, before we come down on the other side. It will not help us to keep secret that we are frozen to death. When we leave here, where there are still a few trees and bushes, each of us should carry a faggot of wood, as large as he can bear."

"Very well," said Gandalf, but we must not use the wood-not unless it is a choice between fire and death."

We set out again with good speed, but soon our way became steep and difficult. The wind was bitter cold. I pulled my sweatshirt tighter around me, grimacing as I swiped my side. The wound was well on its way to healing, and only really hurt now when I touched it.

The wind only got colder the further up we went, on one side there was a sheer cliff face that rose up, and on the other side a deep ravine. The going was tough, and left me breathless. The higher we got I soon realized that I could feel the soft touch of snow on my face. I sighed and closed my eyes, trudging on. I hate snow. I hate snow. I. Hate. Snow.

We went on. But before long the snow was falling fast and swirling into everybody's faces. Everyone was bent double. "I don't like this at all," Sam panted just behind me. "Snow's all right on a fine morning. But I like to be in bed when it's falling."

Gandalf halted ahead of us. Snow was thick on his hood and shoulders, it was already ankle deep. "This is what I feared," he said. "What do you say now, Aragorn?"

"That I feared it too," Aragorn answered. "But less than other things. I knew the risk of snow, though it seldom falls heavily so far south, save high up in the mountains. But we are still far down, where the paths are usually open all winter."

"I wonder if this is a contrivance of the Enemy," said Boromir. "They say in my land that he can govern the storms in the mountains of Shadow that stand upon the borders of Mordor. He has strange powers and many allies."

"His arm has grown long indeed," said Gimli, "if he can draw snow down from the North to trouble us here, three hundred leagues away."

"His arm has grown long," Gandalf said.

While we were halted, the wind died and the snow almost stopped. But we tramped on again. We hadn't gone more than a hundred feet before the snow returned with fresh fury. The wind whistled and the snow became a blinding blizzard. I think Boromir even found it hard to go after a while. The hobbits and myself were bent nearly double, and we were struggling behind everyone else, Pippin more so than anyone. Even over the wind I could hear Gimli grumbling.

We halted suddenly as if we had all come to an agreement without speaking. I heard eerie noises in the darkness all around, and I shuddered out of fear. It may have been a trick of the wind, but I swear I heard howls of laughter, and despite that I know it wasn't, I couldn't help but think it was Melkor laughing. But soon boulders started to fall from the mountain side, whistling over our heads or crashing on the ledge beside us.

"We cannot go further tonight!" Boromir yelled up at Gandalf. "Let those call it the wind who will, there are fell voices on the air, and those stones are aimed at us."

"I do call it the wind!" Aragorn yelled over said wind. "But that does not make what you say untrue. There are many evil and unfriendly things in the world that have little love for those that go on two legs, and are not in league with Sauron, but have purposes of their own. Some have been in this world longer than he."

"Caradhras was called the Cruel, and had an ill name," said Gimli, "long years ago, when rumor of Sauron had not been heard in these lands."

"It matters little who is the enemy, if we cannot beat of this attack," Gandalf said.

"We have to go back or it'll be the death of us!" I said.

"And it is no good going back while the storm holds," said Aragorn. "We have passed no place on the way up that offered more shelter that this cliff wall we are under now."

"Shelter," I heard Sam muttered. "If this is shelter then one wall and no roof make a house."

We gathered together as close to the wall as we could, with the taller people in front of the smaller ones. The snow was starting to drift over us. A great sleepiness was starting to come over me, and I was starting to drift off on Aragorn's arm when I heard Boromir speaking.

"This will be the death of the Halflings, Gandalf," Boromir said. "It is useless to sit here until the snow goes over our heads. We must do something so save ourselves."

"Give them this," said Gandalf, searching in his pack and drawing out a leathern flask. "Just a mouthful each-for all of us. It is very precious. It is _miruvor_, the cordial of Imladris. Elrond gave it to me at our parting. Pass it round!"

When it came my turn and I took a swig, I swallowed the warm liquor with a face. It tasted similar to my grandfather's liquor he used to give me for bad coughs. I warmed up almost instantly and my shivering ceased for a while. But the snow did not relent. It seemed to swirl around us even thicker and with more fury.

"What do you say to a fire?" asked Boromir suddenly. "The choice now seems between fire and death, Gandalf. Doubtless we shall be hidden from all unfriendly eyes when the snow has covered us, but that will not help us."

"You may make a fire if you can," answered Gandalf. "If there are any watchers that can endure this storm, then they can see us fire or no."

We brought out all our logs and I packed down the snow as much as I could, knowing what I know about lighting fires in winter. I've watched a lot of survival shows as well as living in Iowa. I tried making the fire, just like everyone else. I had everybody move in and try to block the lit match from the wind, but nothing worked. But at last Gandalf took a turn. He picked up a log and thrust his staff in to the log and gave a word of command. "Naur an edraith amen!" At once the log lit up in green and blue fire.

"If there are any to see, then I at least am revealed to them," he said. "I have written _Gandalf is here_ in signs that all can real from Rivendell to the mouths of Anduin."

But I honestly don't care about any watchers at this point, and I don't think anyone else did either. I was freezing and I inched as close as I could to the fire. The wood burned bright and lifted my spirits, but all around the snow still hissed and blew. Soon the fire started to make pools of slush under our feet, and my jeans were getting wet. And jeans take hours to dry, so once we get back down out of the snow I'm changing into the second pair I brought.

I looked at our supply of wood. It was quick/ ly diminishing, and the snow gave no sign of lifting up. The fire burned low and the last log was thrown on.

"The night is getting old," said Aragorn. "The dawn is not far off."

"If any dawn can pierce these clouds," said Gimli.

Boromir stepped out of our tight circle and stared up into the blackness. "The snow is growing less and the wind is quieter," he said.

I gazed out as the flakes still fell out of the sky. "Growing less my ass," I whispered to Merry.

But soon the flakes grew larger and fewer. The light slowly grew stronger and I could see our path behind. It was completely covered and altogether lost from sight. "Caradhras has not forgiven us," Gimli said, shaking his head. "He has more snow yet to fling at us, if we go on. The sooner we go back and down the better."

Everyone agreed to this. But only a few paces from the fire the snow lay many feet deep, higher than the heads of the hobbits and in some places above even the head of Boromir. The wind had scooped the snow up in great drifts against the rock wall.

"If Gandalf would go before us with a bright flame, he might melt a path for you," Legolas said. The storm had not phased him at all, and he made little imprint on the snow.

"If Elves could fly over mountains, they might fetch the sun to save us," Gandalf said. "But I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow."

"Well," said Boromir. "When heads are at a loss bodies must serve, as we say in my country. The strongest of us must seek a way. See! Though all is snow-clad, our path as we came up, turned about that shoulder or rock down yonder. It was there that the snow first began to burden us. If we could reach that point, maybe it would prove easier beyond. It is no more than a furlong off, I guess."

"The let us force a path thither, you and I!" Aragorn said.

Boromir led the way, and Aragorn followed. They looked like human snow ploughs, shoving the snow up and aside. They moved slowly and toiled as the snow was breast high in some places. Boromir looked to be swimming and burrowing in the snow the way the he went.

Legolas watched for a while with the rest of us before turning to Gandalf. "The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say let and ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow-an elf." With that said, he sprang forward. "Farewell! I go to find the sun!" He took off at a run behind Aragorn and Boromir.

"Elves are too perfect," I muttered.

"You speak the truth," Pippin said in reply.

Time dragged on and flakes began to curl down out of the sky. An hour maybe went by when Legolas came running back up.

"Well!" Legolas cried as he ran up. "I have not brought the sun. She is walking in the blue fields of the south, and a little wreath of snow troubles her not at all. But I have brought back a gleam of good hope for those who are doomed to go on feet. There is the greatest wind-drift of all just beyond the turn, and there our strong men were almost buried. They despaired, until I returned and told them that the drift was little wile than a wall. And on the other side the snow suddenly grows less, while further down it is no more than a white coverlet to cool a hobbit's toes."

"Ah it is as I said," growled Gimli. "It was no ordinary storm. It is the ill will of Caradhras. He does not love Elves and Dwarves, and that drift was laid to cut off our escape."

"But happily your Caradhras has forgotten that you have Men with you," said Boromir who came up at that moment. "And doughty men too, if I may say it; though lesser men with spades might have served you better. Still, we have thrust a lane through the drift; and for that all here may be grateful who cannot run as light as Elves."

"But how are we to get down there, even if you have cut through the drift?" said Pippin.

"Have hope!" said Boromir. "I am weary, but I still have some strength left, and Aragorn too. We will bear the little folk. The others no doubt will make shift to tread the path behind us. Come, Master Peregrin! I will begin with you."

He lifted up the hobbit. "Cling to my back! I shall need my arms," he said and strode forward, and Aragorn lifted up Merry.

"Tabby, you are wearing those pants that you and Kristina bought us at the marketplace," Legolas said.

"Well, thank you Captain Obvious," I said.

"They do not dry well," he replied. "You do have an extra pair don't you?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Then we must get you down, to change before you get sick," he replied.

"Legolas I'm fine," I said. "I've walked in wetter clothes with more snow and ice."

"Argue not, little one," Legolas replied, grabbing my arms and hoisting me onto his back.

"Legolas, I don't like riding piggyback!" I yelled, as Legolas took off at a run.

Legolas laughed as we passed Aragorn, Boromir and the two hobbits. "Legolas! Slow down!" I yelled.

Legolas finally set me down on the other side of the drift, and Aragorn and Boromir set their two hobbits down. We waited with Legolas as the other two went back for the other two hobbits. After a while they all returned to us. As they passed through the lane there was a deep rumble and there was an avalanche of giant rocks that landed right behind us on our path.

"Enough, enough!" cried Gimli. "We are departing as quickly as we may!"

We had been beaten back, and Caradhras seem satisfied. As Legolas had reported the snow grew less and less. "There are the birds again!" said Aragorn, pointing down.

"That cannot be helped now," said Gandalf. "Whether they are good or evil, or have nothing to do to with us at all, we must go down at once. Not even on the knees of Caradhras will we wait for another night-fall!"

Another cold wind blew up behind them as we trudged on our way. Finally the mountain was behind us.


	18. Moria is the Main Cause of Depression

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Eighteen: Moria is one of the Maine Causes of Depression_

**-Tabby-**

In the evening we halted. The grey light of dusk was fading fast, and we stopped for the night. Gandalf passed around the _miruvor_ from Rivendell again, and after we had eaten our cold rations he called a council.

"We cannot, of course, go on again tonight," Gandalf said. "The attack on the Redhorn Gate has tired us out, and we must rest here for a while."

"And then where are we to go?" asked Frodo.

"We still have our journey and out errands before us," Gandalf answered. "We have no choice but to go on our return to Rivendell."

Pippin's face brightened suddenly, and Merry and Sam looked hopeful. The name of Rivendell lightened my heart but I knew I wouldn't be seeing Rivendell anytime soon, maybe even never. Yes, Tabby, think depressing thoughts tonight, that'll help you.

"Then we must go on, if there is a way," said Frodo with a sigh.

"There is a way we may attempt," said Gandalf. "I thought from the beginning, when first I considered this journey, that we should try it. But it is not a pleasant way, I have not spoken of it to the Company before. Aragorn was against it, until the pass over the mountain had at least been tried."

I sighed and shook my head. This did not go unnoticed by the hobbits, who I was sitting next to.

"If it is a worse road than the Redhorn Gate, then it must be evil indeed," said Merry. "but you had better tell us about it, and let us know the worst at once."

"The road that I speak of leads to the Mines of Moria," said Gandalf. Gimli lifted his head up as Gandalf spoke the name, however, I groaned and flopped backwards onto my backpack.

A dark cloud had started to cover me at the mere mention of the name. Moria, a black pit, full of orcs, a Balrog, and evil. A battle will take place, and I am less than prepared, I don't even have my own sword, or any skills to go with one. Gandalf's voice brought me back to the matter of the council and I sat up again.

"Since out open attempt on the mountain pass our flight has become more desperate, I fear. I see now little hope, if we do not soon vanish from sight for a while, and cover our trail. Therefore I advise that we should go neither over the mountains, nor round them, but under them. That is a road at any rate that the Enemy will least expect us to take."

"We will meet worse enemies there, Gandalf," I said.

Gandalf sent a glare at me. I was sitting between Sam and Merry. Frodo was in between Sam and Gandalf.

"We do not know what he expects," Boromir said, clearly he had not heard my comment. "He may watch all dark roads, likely and unlikely. In that case to enter Moria would be to walk into a trap, hardly better than knocking at the gates of the Dark Tower itself. The name of Moria is black."

"You speak of what you do not know, when you liken Moria to the stronghold of Sauron," Gandalf replied. "I alone of you have ever been in the dungeons of the Dark Lord, and only in his older and lesser dwelling in Dol Guldur. Those who pass into the gates of Barad-dur do not return. But I would not leas you into Moria if there was no hope of coming out again. If there are Orcs there, it may prove ill for us that is true. But most of the orcs of the Misty Mountains were scattered or destroyed in the Battle of Five Armies. The Eagles report that orcs are gathering from afar, but there is hope that Moria is still free. There is even a chance that Dwarves are there, and that in some deep hall of his fathers, Balin son of Fundin may be found. However it may prove that one must tread the path that need chooses."

"There is little hope of that," I said to Gandalf.

"That is enough, Tabitha," Gandalf said. "I have warned you before about revealing information. Now, go change out of your soaked clothes before you fall ill! You will be of no help if you do."

I glared at Gandalf and grabbed my pack, and went into the trees. I dropped my pack down and pulled out my change of clothes. I took off my long sleeved shirt that was bloodstained and threw it onto the ground. The shirt was dry enough for the most part, drier than my sweatshirt anyways. I checked my bandage real quick, and since the white bandage was still clean of any discoloration after I had cleaned and bandaged it I decided it wasn't worth it to change now. Aragorn had taught me how to do it after I told him he didn't need to fuss over it anymore. I put my David Bowie shirt on and bent down for my second pair of pants.

As I tried to pull them on I realized just how tight they were. I groaned and looked at them closely in the dim light. Skinny jeans. I grabbed skinny jeans in my hurry to pack. Fucking great, I get to walk around in pants that cut off my freaking circulation. I jumped around trying to pull them up, and when I finally got them up I noticed that everyone had stopped talking.

"Are you alright, Tabby?" Aragorn called to me.

"Having a malfunction, I'll be fine!" I replied.

I sucked in my stomach and buttoned the jeans and zipped them up. This happened much too easy. I breathed out and found that the skinny jeans fit me more comfortably than in the past. I put my hands on my hips and found that my stomach was smaller, not by a whole lot, but I had lost weight with all the walking and few meals.

I stuffed my dirty clothes into my pack and walked back out to our camp.

"What are you wearing?" Legolas asked.

"I grabbed the wrong pair of jeans when I was packing," I replied, sitting down.

"What are those?" Pippin asked.

"Skinny jeans," I replied.

"Why do you have them?" Merry asked.

"Why are you short?" I asked.

"Hush," said Aragorn suddenly leaping to his feet. "How the wind howls! It is howling with wolf-voices. The Wargs have come west of the mountains."

"Need we wait until morning then?" asked Gandalf. "It is as I said. The hunt is up! Even if we live to see the dawn who now will wish to journey south by night with the wild wolves on his trail?"

Fucking WARGS!

"How far is Moria?" Boromir asked.

"There is a door southwest of Caradhras, some fifteen miles as the crow flies, and maybe twenty as the wolf runs," answered Gandalf grimly.

"Then let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow if we can," said Boromir. "The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears."

"True!" said Aragorn, loosening his sword in its sheath. "But where the Warg howls, there also the orc prowls."

I sighed, feeling my stomach start churning. For our defense for the night we climbed to the top of the small hill we had been sitting under. It was crowned with old, twisted trees and a circle of stones. Inside the circle we lit a fire. With a fire or no, the wolves would find us, no matter what.

Those of us that were not on guard dosed uneasily. It was my turn for a watch, not that I could sleep anyway. It was Boromir and myself for this watch. I sat close to the fire, trying to dry out my sweatshirt, that now smelled like a wet dog.

I jumped a mile high as a shuddering howl broke loose. I looked behind me and saw Gandalf striding toward the outer ring of stones. More howls answered the first, as if the first warg was summoning the others to an attack. Gandalf was holding his staff aloft and spoke loudly and clearly.

"Listen, Hound of Sauron!" he cried. "Gandalf is here. Fly if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring."

The wolf snarled and jumped at him, but at that moment Legolas let loose an arrow and the warg fell with a hideous yelp and a great thud. The Elvish arrow had pierced the animal in the throat, and all the watching eyes that had been blinking in and out of sight had gone. The darkness grew eerily silent, and there was no cry on the wind.

The night was old and the moon was setting when I was suddenly awakened by a storm of howls. Wargs were jumping and attacking all over the place.

"Fling fuel on the fire!" Gandalf cried to the hobbits and me. "Draw your blades and stand back to back."

Many grey shapes jumped up and around us. There were so many that I couldn't keep track of all of them. I was the only one without a weapon, and nobody remembered that I was defenseless since the attack happened all of a sudden. But I figured standing by the fire with the hobbits I couldn't get hurt much. But I was wrong, and I have a feeling I'll be wrong most of the time while I'm here.

I was jumped on from across the fire. The warg had jumped Pippin, who ducked just in time, and I was the one who was pounced on. I fell to the ground with a hard thud, with the Warg's paws shoving my shoulders into the hard ground. I screamed at the drooling jaws in my face. I tried to push the warg off, but it was too heavy. I tried kicking and punching at it but it didn't work well. "Help!" I screamed, but the help came just before I could finish my call.

Frodo had stabbed the warg in the neck. Sting was sticking out on the other side of the head, and the warg fell dead on top of me. Frodo pulled Sting out of the dead animal and tried to help me heave the fat warg off of me.

"Merry, Pippin, help!" Frodo snapped, as they came over to help push the warg off.

We finally managed to push the warg off and I scrambled up. "Are you alright?" Frodo asked.

"I'll live," I said, checking to make sure the claws hadn't punctured the skin. They drew blood but they had not broken the skin.

Suddenly there came a booming voice, I couldn't catch the words, but it belonged to Gandalf. There was a roar and a crackle and a tree suddenly lit up in flame. The whole hill was crowned in blinding flame. Legolas let loose one final arrow that struck the warg chieftain in the throat. Any other wargs left in the vicinity ran off and they did not return.

"What did I tell you, Mr. Pippin?" said Sam, sheathing his sword. "Wolves won't get him. That was an eye-opener, and no mistake! Nearly singed the hair off my head!"

When the full light of morning came no signs of the wargs remained. There was no trace of the fight save for the burned trees and Legolas' arrows. All of them were whole and undamaged save the one that had struck the chief warg, only the arrow head was left.

"It is as I feared," said Gandalf. "These were no ordinary wolves hunting for food in the wilderness. Let us eat quickly and go!"

"Are you alright, after that warg pounced you?" Legolas asked.

"I'm fine," I replied. "I'll live."

"Either way, here," he said, holding out his sword that has been so far unused by him. "I think you need it more than I."

"Well, uhm, thanks, but are you sure you want to give this to me?" I asked.

"Only to borrow until you have one of your own," he said. "You are the only one without a weapon."

"If you're sure then," I said, wrapping the belt around my waist and tightening it. "Thanks."

"It was nothing," he replied.

We ate quickly and left our camp. We walked all day and all night before we stopped on another hill top during the sunrise.

"We must reach the doors before sunset," said Gandalf. "Or I fear we shall not reach them at all. It is not far, but our path is winding, for here Aragorn cannot guide us; he has seldom walked in this country, and only once have I been under the west wall of Moria, and that was long ago. There it lies." Gandalf pointed away eastwards. There were mountain sides with bare cliffs rising up. In the midst of the grey line of the mountains one rose up taller than the rest. "When we left the pass I led you southwards, and not back to our starting point, as some of you have noticed. It was well that I did so, for now we have several miles less to cross, and haste is needed. Let us go!"

"I do not know which to hope," said Boromir grimly: "That Gandalf will find what he seeks, or that coming to the cliff we shall find the gates lost forever. All choices seem ill, and to be caught between wolves and the wall the likeliest chance. Lead on!"

"You should hope we grow wings and can just fly all the way over the mountains," I grumbled, hoisting my pack up higher and following closely behind Aragorn and Boromir.

"Tabitha, please come here for a moment," Gandalf said from the front of the company.

I hurried ahead until I was by Gandalf's side. "I've told you before, and I shall remind you again: do not tell anyone, nor give out any information that could change the future of the quest. So I advise you not to speak of it anymore."

"I'm sorry Gandalf, it's just that Moria is not a good place to go!" I said.

He sent me a warning glance and I huffed.


	19. Into Moria

**Yeah, I know this chapter is a little late. I apologize. I've been sicker than a damn dog, so I haven't gotten a chance to post this chapter. Please drop me a review!**

_A Beautiful Nightmare: Chapter Nineteen: Into Moria_

**-Tabby-**

I won't even go into detail about our long walk. I can't, because I don't even think I remember it. It was walking from sun up to sun down, and when we came to a stop at the northern most corner of a lake I wondered where this whole day of my life went. Everyone had been silent mostly, except Gandalf and Gimli. But anyways, back to the lake. It was black and still. I shuddered to think about the watcher that is soon to rear its ugly head.

We halted as a narrow creek barred our way. It was green and stagnant. Gimli walked forward first, undaunted by the slimy water. The creek was only ankle deep, but that was just enough to soak well into my sneakers. As I waited for my turn I looked down at my purple convers. They were no longer bright, nor did they look new anymore. The sides were starting to tear, and only I would've known that the laces had once been a clean bright white. My shoes were in disrepair and some slimy water wasn't going to hurt them. But just thinking about the slime in the water made my skin crawl.

"Ugh," I groaned stepping into the water behind Merry. "This is gross."

"You find this gross, when you said nothing of an orc's or warg's blood when it was on your face?" Merry asked.

"There's warg blood on my face?" I asked seriously, stopping in my tracks.

"No, Tabby, he's just saying that," Frodo said from behind me.

"Pippin, which one is lying to me?" I asked.

"Frodo," he replied, ahead of Merry.

"You didn't even…look!" I said, almost slipping in the muck.

Boromir helped me onto the other side before I slipped again. "That's enough," Gandalf warned, before Pippin could reply.

Once the last of us had crossed to the other side there was the soft sound of a swish and plop of a fish jumping. I shuttered, thinking of all the slimy fish and other things dwelling under the surface of the water.

We pressed on a great pace. We reached a strip of 'dry' land between the cliff face and the lake. I say 'dry' because it was muddy and mushed, and it made a squish with every step that I took. Old trees were sticking out of water and the mud. About a mile from the creek we came to two whole and living holly trees, similar to two pillars outside a great, important door.

"Well, here we are at last," said Gandalf. I sighed and twirled a finger in the air. "Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark the end of their domain; for the West-door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different race, between Dwarves and Elves."

"It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned," said Gimli.

"I have not heard that is was the fault of the Elves," said Legolas.

"I heard both," said Gandalf; "and I will not give judgment now. But I beg you two, Legolas and Gimli, at least to be friends and to help me. I need you both. The doors are shut and hidden, and the sooner we find them the better. Night is at hand!"

"Now," Gandalf said, turning to the rest of us. "I will ask you all to lay aside the clothes you brought against the bitter weather. You will not need them inside, nor, I hope, when we have reached the other side."

I was keeping my sweatshirt whether Gandalf liked it or not, so I merely plopped onto a broken log that laid near the holly tree on the right hand side. I put my dirty pack on the ground and pulled out a bag of half eaten trail mix. I handed Pippin a handful, who was sitting right next to me, and went about eating all of the raisins first.

Everyone turned to Gandalf when they were finished getting rid of the things they no longer needed. He appeared to have done nothing.

"Well, here we are and all ready," said Merry; "But where are the doors, I cannot see any sign of them."

"Dwarf doors are not made to be seen when shut," said Gimli. "They are invisible, and their own masters cannot find them or open them, if their secret is forgotten."

"But this Door was not made to be a secret known only to Dwarves," said Gandalf, coming suddenly to life and turning around. "Unless things are altogether changes, eyes that know what to look for may discover the signs."

Gandalf walked forward to the wall, right between the shadows of the trees. There was a smooth place on the rock wall that Gandalf passed his hand over several times, while muttering words under his breath, and a last he stepped back.

"Look!" he said. "Can you see anything now?"

The moon now shown upon the grey face of the rock; but we could see nothing else for a good five minutes. Then slowly faint lines started to appear. They formed the outline of the doors, the outline of the two trees as well as the symbols of the elves and dwarves. The lines were the color of the pale moonlight with a twinge of bright blue, and they seemed to glow brighter than the moon itself.

"There are the emblems of Durin!" cried Gimli.

"And there is the tree of the High Elves!" said Legolas.

"And the Star of the House of Feanor," said Gandalf. "They are wrought of ithildin that mirrors only starlight and moonlight, and sleeps until it is touched by one who speaks words now long forgotten in Middle-earth. It is long since I heard them, and I thought deeply before I could recall them to my mind."

"What does the writing say?" asked Frodo. "I thought I knew elf-letters, but I cannot read these."

"The words are in the elven-tongue of the West of Middle-earth in the Elder Days," answered Gandalf. "But they do not say anything of importance to us. They say only: _The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. _And underneath small and faint is written: _I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs_."

"What does it mean by _speak, friend, and enter_?" asked Merry.

"That is plain enough," said Gimli. "If you are a friend, speak the password and the doors will open, and you can enter."

"Nope," I said. "It's giving you the password." Everyone turned to look at me. "Yep, it's giving you the password."

"Tabitha, what have I told you?" Gandalf said.

"Not to give any information regarding the future of the quest," I recited.

"And?" he asked.

"It's just cutting a few hours of sitting time!" I said. "But if you don't want my help then fine."

"Thank you," Gandalf said.

I sighed and stretched my legs out, now working on the peanuts in my hand. Pippin reached into the bag for another handful.

"Why don't you want to rest for a while?" Merry asked, holding his hand out for some trail mix.

"I don't like it out here. It's…creepy," I replied, dumping the rest of the mix into my mouth, before getting a second handful.

I sat for quite a while in silence listen now and again to the mutterings of everyone and of Gandalf. The trail mix was finished off by the two ravenous hobbits and I was left with nothing more to do.

After quite a while there came a whistle of the wind that brought up the sound of howling wolves.

"Ugh! Trapped between wolves, stone and water!" Boromir cried. "How I hate this foul pool!" Boromir stooped and picked up a stone and threw it out into the water.

"Why did you do that, Boromir?" Frodo asked. "I hate this place too, and I am afraid. I don't know of what, not wolves or the dark behind the doors, but something else. I am afraid of the pool. Don't disturb it!"

"I wish I could get away!" groaned Merry.

"Why doesn't Gandalf do something quick!" Pippin said.

"Alright, that's enough," I said getting up and walking over to the doors. "Turn me into a dog and beat me if you will, but I'm not sitting out here anymore! Mellon!"

The star on the door shone brightly and then faded again. Then silently the great doorway was outlines, and the door slowly swung outwards. "Just so you know," Gandalf whispered to me. "I was on the verge of thinking of it."

I smiled. "So you aren't going to turn me into a dog?"

"Not today," he replied.

We strode forward together, the first to enter Moria. As much as I hate Moria it's the only safe place now that the watcher has been disturbed. However I turned around to look back and saw the hobbits entering last. A long slimy tentacle and snuck up behind Frodo. "Frodo move!" I said.

Frodo looked down and let out a cry, pushing everyone away from the tentacle.

"What is that?!" Pippin cried.

"The Watcher!" I replied, as Boromir swung down with his sword onto the tentacle, cutting the tentacle. Twenty other tentacles burst out of the water.

"Into the gateway! Up the stairs! Quick!" shouted Gandalf. Gandalf's shout seemed to have roused everyone from their horror, and he drove everyone into the cave.

We were just in time. Sam and Frodo were only a few steps up and Gandalf had just begun to climb when the groping tentacles writhed across the narrow shore and wrapped around the doors and slammed the doors shut with horrible strength. All light was lost but there was a sound of rending and crashing.

When the sounds of the crashing had stopped we heard Gandalf go back down the stairs and tap on the doors with his staff. There was a quiver but the doors did not open. "Well, well!" he said. "The passage is blocked behind us now, and there is only one way out-on the other side of the mountains. I fear from the sounds that boulders have been piled up, and the trees uprooted and thrown across the gate. I am sorry for the trees were beautiful, and had stood so long."

"I felt that something horrible was near from the moment that my foot first touched the water," said Frodo. "What was the thing, or were there many of them?"

"Just one," I replied.

"Whatever it was it was guided by one purpose. Something has crept out of them mountains. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world," Gandalf said.

Boromir started muttering under his breath somewhere to the right of me, but the echoing stone magnified his voice. "In the deep places of the world! And here we are going against my wish. Who will lead us now in this deadly dark?"

"I will," said Gandalf. "And Gimli shall walk with me. Follow my staff!"

Gandalf went on a head and with his staff held aloft, and from its tip there came a faint radiance. I counted the number of steps until we reached a flat. Over two hundred! My god, Dwarves really love their steps!

"Let us sit down and have something to eat, here on the landing, since we can't find a dining room!" said Frodo.

The proposal was welcomed by everyone. We sat down for a brief moment.

"How long is this going to take?" Merry whispered to me.

"Maybe three or four days," I replied.

"What's in here that has got you so scared?" Pippin asked quietly.

"Pip, you really don't want to know, but you'll find out soon enough," I replied, looking uneasily around at the deep darkness.

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please, please drop a review and tell me what you think about it. Thanks guys!**


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